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BRIEF-Loncin Motor says FY 2016 dividend payment | April 12Loncin Motor Co Ltd :
* Says it will pay 5 yuan per 10 shares to shareholders and distribute 5 new share for every 10 shares, use additional paid-in capital to distribute 10 new shares for every 10 shares, as FY 2016 dividend payment
Source text in Chinese: goo.gl/RiIy7D
Further company coverage: (Beijing Headline News) |
Meet the kind cop and cute little girl behind viral dance video | HOUSTON - With her Minnie Mouse shoes and light-up wheels, it’s hard not to fall in love with 5-year-old Saori.
“She was always smiling. She was always waving at me, and I was like 'Oh that’s nice,'" Houston Police Officer Sandy Fernandez said.
Homer, Michelle
"He told me I was pretty. I told him he was nice," Saori said in Spanish.
Fernandez was working a quinceanera when he saw Saori.
“She was there dancing, her mom was just like spinning her around. I was like 'Oh okay, look at that,'" Officer Fernandez said.
Dancing with her mom, dancing by herself, the little ballerina didn’t care as long as she was spinning her wheels.
But then, Prince Charming came along and asked her to dance.
"He told me that he liked my shoes. And I had Minnie Mouse shoes like these on," Saori said
“We were just having fun, so much fun. So much fun together. It was just great," Officer Fernandez said.
Officer Fernandez has a daughter of his own and a sister in a wheelchair. So seeing the little dancing queen out on the floor by herself tugged at his heart.
“I just wanted to give her a great moment or give each other a great moment at the time," Officer Fernandez said.
They danced a couple songs, and he even gave her a flower.
"I pinned it on my dress, right here," Saori said.
Alexander, Chloe
Juan Mancha, a DJ, got out his cell phone and captured the two dancing. It's only 13 seconds long, but Mancha says it sends a powerful message.
"I was just so motivated by it, because nowadays everybody just doesn't trust the cops, and I was DJing and I stopped everything I was doing because it grabbed my attention. Looking at him just asking her to dance. She couldn't believe it, her smile, she just kept looking at him and he started dancing with her and I said, 'Oh, I got to get this moment,'" Mancha said.
Officer Fernandez never knew they were being recorded, and he never thought so many would see. But he’s okay with it.
A touching moment between a Houston police officer and a little girl is going viral.
“The public needs to know that we also have hearts. We also have family," Officer Fernandez said.
And for mom, it’s a moment she too will never forget.
"Truthfully it made me happy because he was dancing with her. Despite being in her wheelchair she tries to have fun. And to see him make that gesture to dance with her, it’s truly a beautiful thing," Maria Moreno said.
Officer Fernandez says he hopes to see Saori again, and maybe have some lunch.
But this five year old says she just wants another dance.
KHOU shared the video and It's been viewed more than 300,000 times.
© 2018 KHOU |
Finnish President Niinisto announces the birth of a son | STOCKHOLM — Finland's president, 69-year-old Sauli Niinisto, has announced the birth of a son.
It's been a busy week for the Finnish head of state, who won re-election in a landslide victory Sunday and was sworn into office for a second six-year term Thursday before his second wife gave birth to a healthy boy on Friday evening.
The president's office said his spouse, Jenni Haukio, and the infant were doing well, adding that Niinisto was present during the delivery. The couple was married in 2009.
Niinisto's post on Facebook announcing the birth drew thousands of messages of congratulations in the first hour alone. |
Spaceship launch pad, research centre to be built in Ghana | KESHE Foundation Ghana, a worldwide non-profit organization in Spaceship Technology is partnering BONADES Limited, a Ghanaian-owned Construction Engineering Management (CEM) company for the development and construction of the first-of-its-kind Spaceship Research Centre in Ghana.
This was agreed upon at a preliminary meeting at the Mövenpick (Ambassador) Hotel earlier in May, 2017.
This agreement is made after completion of the feasibility studies and preliminary architectural and engineering designs, and presentation to both the Client and foreign Investors.
The KESHE Spaceship Research Centre construction will start this summer at the Ghana Atomic Energy Commission enclave located at Haatso, Accra.
The duration of the project is to be completed in a maximum of six months’ time.
About KESHE Foundation International
KESHE Foundation International is a worldwide non-profit organization registered in the Netherlands, and has many factories across the world.
It holds all the intellectual property of Mehran Tavakoli Keshe relating to his Technology.
Over the years, the organization’s target is to develop and apply new plasma solution to the world’s major problems, including Global warming/ CO2 problem, Energy shortage, Water problems and Food problems.
For Ghana, our main problems are in the sectors of Health, Agriculture and Energy.
KESHE Foundation International intends to invest a total of 21 million US-Dollars in this project.
The project will consist of an Administration block, Healthcare facility (Clinic), Factory, Research Centre and the first African Flight launch pad.
The Clinic is to be accessible to the general public.
With the building and opening of this new centre within the next 12 months, in line with President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo’s one-district-one-factory agenda, this Foundation seeks to bring new cutting-edge technologies to Ghana, thereby making Ghana one of the leading nations in the world of Science and Spaceship while providing decent sustainable job opportunities to both ordinary citizens and high-earned skilled world-class Technologists and Scientists.
GAEC collaborates to form Keshe Foundation Ghana
In October 2016, following the conference organized by the Kesh Foundation International, in collaboration with Ghana Atomic Energy Commission (GAEC) and subsequent meetings, led to formation of Keshe Foundation Ghana, a Ghanaian registered company jointly owned by the two organizations. The Director of Keshe Foundation Ghana, Mr MT.
Keshe, said the collaboration between his Foundation and the Ghana Atomic Energy Commission meant a lot to the health needs of Ghanaians.
During the conference, the Director General of the GAEC, Professor Benjamin J.B. Nyarko, said Science and Technology have become the principal agents of social and economic change, and as such, more support is needed to enable positive impact on society.
The main objective of the Foundation is to share the benefits of all aspects of its technologies in different areas related to mankind’s welfare and world education.
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Credit: KESHE Foundation Ghana |
Lebanon plans to boost army presence on Israel border | Lebanon plans to increase its military presence along its southern border with Israel, Prime Minister Saad Hariri said on Thursday at a meeting in Rome, where he is seeking financial support for the armed forces.
Bolstering Lebanon’s army and internal security forces is seen as a way for the international community to keep Hezbollah, which has helped sway the Syrian civil war in President Bashar al-Assad’s favour, from broadening its clout in the Lebanese heartland.
Some 40 countries participated in the meeting, along with and United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres. While some financial aid was announced on Thursday, Hariri said that the goal of the meeting was not to gather pledges.
The Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) took no part in the 2006 war between Israel and the Iranian-backed Lebanese Shi’ite Hezbollah militia. Since then, it has received more than $1.5 billion in U.S. military assistance and, in the last seven years, training and support from U.S. special forces.
“We will be sending more LAF troops to the south, and we stress our intention to deploy another regiment,” he said, adding that Israel “remains the primary threat to Lebanon”.
“While we are thinking of ways to move from a state of cessation of hostilities to a state of permanent ceasefire, Israel continues to make plans to build walls on reservation areas along the blue line,” Hariri said.
In a joint statement, the conference participants said Lebanon should “accelerate effective and durable deployments to the South”.
The U.N. Security Council has allowed for 15,000 Lebanese troops to be deployed along the border since the end of the 2006 conflict.
On Thursday, Hariri said he presented the five-year plans for Lebanon’s military and security services to the participants, and each country would decide in the coming months how it could help.
The European Union pledged 50 million euros ($61.6 million)to Lebanon’s security forces, and Hariri said France had created a 400-million-euro credit facility to purchase “equipment” for Lebanon’s military and security forces. The UK has pledged an additional $13 million, it said on Twitter.
“I’m extremely satisfied with the outcome,” Hariri said after the conference.
Hariri dismissed concerns that weapons intended for the Lebanese army would end up in the hands of Hezbollah, saying: “We have never lost a weapon to anyone… and it will never happen in the future.”
On Thursday, Hariri reiterated his commitment to the policy of “dissociation”, which is meant to keep the deeply fractured state out of regional conflicts such as the Syrian civil war.
Guterres told reporters: “This is the moment in which the international community needs to express its full support (for Lebanon).”
Italian caretaker Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni said Lebanon’s stability was vital to region.
“Lebanon must be sheltered from the forces of destabilization,” he said. “Assuring Lebanon’s stability assures the broader security of the Mediterranean and, as a consequence, of Europe.”
The Rome meeting is the first of three aimed at helping Lebanon stimulate its economy and weather the neighbouring civil war and attendant refugee crisis.
In April, donors will meet in Paris, where Lebanon is seeking up to $16 billion in infrastructure investments. A meeting in Brussels follows, intended to help Lebanon cope with the more than 1 million Syrian refugees it is hosting.
REUTERS |
Raptors fans furious over ref's calls against Toronto | The Oklahoma City Thunder put an end to an 11-game winning streak for the Toronto Raptors yesterday during a heated home game that is once again raising questions about the competency of NBA refs (and, more specifically, whether or not they've got something against Toronto.)
The game was intense on the whole with 25 lead changes and a score of 125-125 heading into the final minute.
Then, with just 8.1 seconds left to go, three Raptors – including coach Dwane Casey – were ejected from the game for complaining to NBA ref Marc Davis, who is said to have "missed a pretty clear foul on [DeMar] DeRozan for a potentially game-tying bucket."
DeRozan was first to be kicked out after yelling at the refs. Serge Ibaka was booted just moments later for the same reason.
Coach Casey was then ejected for what many are saying is "something that a fan shouted in the background at Davis."
The scene was so ridiculous that Casey himself was seen laughing in disbelief as he walked off court. Kyle Lowry, who'd been fouled out with 3:18 remaining, was also laughing.
Kyle Lowry and Dwane Casey can only laugh as Casey gets T'd & tossed for someone else yelling at the referee pic.twitter.com/CYgIo840bm — CJ Fogler (@cjzero) March 18, 2018
In video footage from the game, fans throughout the Air Canada Centre can be heard chanting "Ref, you suck! Ref, you suck!" following this triad of ejections.
"All we want to ask for is fairness and consistency," said Casey to reporters after his team's loss.
"I'm not gonna step here and criticize officials, we made enough mistakes. But we'll complain in the right, proper way. We gotta get it right around the league."
This play by play to end the game @nballaccess pic.twitter.com/auZ0nrLDJL — Francisco Rios (@cisco0602) March 18, 2018
With DeRozan, Ibaka, Lowry and Casey out of the way, OKC won Sunday afternoon's matchup 132-125.
The refs, for their part, got a police escort out of the game – presumably for their own safety.
Referees got a full security escort off the floor in Toronto pic.twitter.com/vCtuPEoQsB — CJ Fogler (@cjzero) March 18, 2018
"Things went a little off the rails, as Toronto accumulated four technical fouls and three ejections in the final 11 seconds," wrote Arden Zwelling for Sportsnet.
"The test of a well-officiated contest in any sport is whether you notice the officiating at all," he explained. "That the referees were escorted off the court amid a full security detail tells you all you need to know." |
Man wearing Chewbacca costume allegedly attacks resort staff with snowboard | An Australian man dressed as Chewbacca has been charged after allegedly hitting a ski resort staff member repeatedly with a snowboard over the weekend.
According to The Daily Telegraph, a 51-year-old man allegedly attacked a staff member at the Alpine Way resort in Thredbo, Australia multiple times with a snowboard, leaving the 55-year-old victim with what police describe as “facial and dental injuries.”
Cops arrested “Chewbacca” and charged him with using an offensive weapon to commit an indictable offence.
The man wearing the Chewbacca costume, Keith Wass of Wyanbene, Australia, wrote on Facebook he attacked the resort staff after being told to remove the furry outfit while at the resort.
“So I dropped him, he lost consciousness and some teeth,” Wass wrote. “Coped (sic) a head but to the bridge of the nose and have been having some difficulty with balance.”
Wass posted bail and he's been released from custody. The Star Wars fan noted he's been banned from Alpine Way and has been ordered to stay 15 kilometres away from the resort. |
UPDATE 2-Mexico central bank holds growth, inflation outlook steady | (Updates with comment from central bank governor on growth)
By Sharay Angulo
MEXICO CITY, May 30 (Reuters) - Mexico’s central bank on Wednesday stuck to its forecasts for economic growth and inflation this year but cited risks from the upcoming Mexican presidential election and trade talks with the United States.
The Banco de Mexico’s quarterly inflation report said core inflation for the year was seen on a slightly better trajectory than previously expected. It also held its growth forecasts steady for next year.
The central bank projected the economy would grow between 2 percent and 3 percent in 2018, with fourth-quarter inflation forecast at around 3.8 percent, down from 4.3 percent in the third quarter.
Central Bank Governor Alejandro Diaz de Leon later said that because growth had been stronger than expected in the first quarter of 2018, there were grounds for optimism.
“Given that good result in the first quarter, growth for the full year will probably be at the upper end of the 2-3 percent range,” Diaz de Leon told local radio.
Mexico’s economy grew by 1.1 percent during the January-March period in comparison to the previous quarter, official data showed last week.
The bank noted its estimates were based on the assumption the next administration would preserve the country’s commitment to “solid” economic policies and sound public finances as well as policies to promote investment and productivity growth.
Mexico holds its presidential election on July 1, with leftist Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador holding a strong lead in opinion polls.
Governor Diaz de Leon said the election was one of the risks to economic growth the bank was eyeing.
A poll by Nomura on Wednesday showed 70 percent of Mexican banks and funds thought Lopez Obrador would significantly change economic policy if elected.
But 71 percent of foreign-based respondents thought the changes to economic policy would only be marginal.
Among risks to growth and inflation, Mexico’s policymakers are also watching the outcome of talks to overhaul the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) among Mexico, the United States and Canada, the central bank said.
U.S. President Donald Trump has repeatedly threatened to rip up NAFTA if it is not renegotiated to his liking. Diaz de Leon said, however, that termination of the agreement was not a central scenario for the central bank. (Additional reporting by Anthony Esposito, Michael O’Boyle and Dave Graham; Editing by Peter Cooney and Sandra Maler) |
Matt Barnes retires from NBA at 37, saying he did it his way | LOS ANGELES — Matt Barnes is retiring from the NBA after playing for nine teams over 14 years and winning a championship with Golden State last season.
The 37-year-old small forward hasn't played this season. He posted his retirement announcement on Instagram on Monday.
" Travelled the world met alota cool people, some will be brothers for the rest of my life!" he wrote in part. "But now.... You telling me I can dress like this for business meetings & make more money off the court than in made on?? & spend more time with my kids??!!Ha... MEEEEE the one that wasn't supposed to be (expletive) & ended up making it!!"
His post was accompanied by a photo of Barnes in grey sweatpants, a dark T-shirt and denim jacket.
"Love me or hate me, I did it my way!" he wrote.
Last month, Barnes received his NBA championship ring during Golden State's game against Sacramento, which released him last season. He went to high school in the state capital.
"It was an amazing opportunity, a tremendous blessing," he said that night. "I was one of those guys who wasn't supposed to make it in this league."
Barnes had repeat stints with Golden State, Sacramento and the Los Angeles Clippers, for whom he played the longest. He also was with the Lakers, New York, Philadelphia, Phoenix, Orlando and Memphis.
He averaged 8.2 points and 4.6 rebounds during his career. He often came off the bench and was known for his hard-nosed approach.
"He was a physical, tough kid," Clippers coach Doc Rivers said. "He was an instigator to say the least, and as Red Auerbach said every day when I was in Boston, you can never have enough of those."
Barnes played four years at UCLA before he was selected by Memphis in the second round of the 2002 draft. |
Saudi Aramco plans to change Asia crude oil price formula, to use DME Oman | plans to change the formula used to price its long-term sales to Asia starting from October, marking the first change in benchmarks for its official selling prices (OSP) since the mid-1980s, multiple trade sources said on Wednesday.
The new formula will be based on the average monthly prices of crude futures traded on the (DME) and the average cash price for Dubai assessed by pricing agency S&P Global Platts, instead of the average of and Dubai prices assessed by Platts, the sources said.
Saudi Aramco's OSPs for October will be based on the average settlement prices for the DME December contract and the December Dubai cash price assessed by Platts, both of which are set in October, the sources said.
is expected to officially notify customers in Asia later on Wednesday, the sources said.
Saudi Aramco, DME and Platts did not respond to requests for comment when contacted by Reuters.
While Saudi Aramco's decision surprised the market, a proposal to switch benchmarks has been discussed internally for years, the sources said.
The DME launched the Oman contract in 2007 and it is the most liquid physically deliverable futures contract for In comparison, there are rarely bids or offers for Oman cargoes during the Platts market-on-close price assessment.
"It is obvious - look at the trading volumes of DME versus Platts for Oman," said Adi Imsirovic, a teaching fellow at the University of Surrey's Energy Economics Centre who wrote a paper on oil benchmarks published in 2014.
Last year, Iraq's Oil Marketing Organization (SOMO) proposed pricing its Basra crude sales to Asia on futures starting with January-loading cargoes, but the plan was shelved.
"SOMO was the first on the case but they did not think it through nominations. SOMO went back to the drawing board. Aramco could not be left behind!" Imsirovic said.
BOOST DME TRADE
Saudi Aramco's decision could improve the liquidity for Oman futures trading on the DME and also for derivative instruments based off the Oman contract for hedging or price conversion purposes, a Singapore-based trader said.
"This is a good change as Platts Oman cannot be hedged," he said.
usually sets its monthly OSPs around the fifth of each month, and those set the trend for Iranian, Kuwaiti and Iraqi prices, affecting more than 12 million barrels per day (bpd) of crude bound for Asia.
It was not immediately clear if the other producers will also change their benchmarks.
"We usually follow major producers .... will probably need a few months though to see market feedback. Then we decide," said a Kuwaiti oil source. |
Streetwise and Executive Insight Newsletter | U.S. President Donald Trump’s plan to dismantle crisis-era financial laws faces hurdles in Congress and from the regulatory process – obstacles that could take months if not years to overcome.
Although Mr. Trump vowed to do a “big number” on the Dodd-Frank financial-regulation bill, his administration cannot kill the law unilaterally.
“The President can’t change the law by fiat,” said Rohit Chopra, senior fellow at the Consumer Federation of America. “The White House wants to move into less regulation of Wall Street; that will require action by the Congress.”
Story
DAILY DEALS
One of Canada’s unheralded financial-technology success stories is cashing out. Vancouver-based consumer payments processing firm TIO Networks Corp. has been sold to Silicon Valley giant PayPal Holdings Inc. in a $304-million all-cash deal, 20 years after it was co-founded by Iranian immigrant Hamed Shahbazi. Story
Source Energy Services Inc., Canada’s largest distributor of high-quality fracking sand, is seeking to raise about $250-million in an initial public offering as a revival in oil drilling boosts demand for its product, according to people familiar with the matter. Story
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT
Andrew Willis: Canadian utilities exploited ‘lazy’ balance sheets at U.S. rivals Story
Report Typo/Error |
Playing it Forward or Food Forward? | FOOD FORWARD – A SECOND HARVEST INITIATIVE
50% of edible agricultural production is wasted due to specification requirements, cold-chain and processing inadequacies as well as access to markets. This nutritious food goes to waste while 14 million South Africans go hungry every day. FoodForward SA is launching Second Harvest, a programme that sources and collects surplus fruit and vegetables from commercial farmers across South Africa and redistributes this fresh produce to the 600 beneficiary organisations in their network.
Established in 2009 to address widespread hunger in South Africa, FoodForward SA connects a world of excess to a world of need by recovering surplus food from the consumer goods supply chain. The organisation reaches up to 250 000 daily at the cost of R0.79 per meal. Beneficiary organisations include orphanages, places of safety, creche’s, disability care, aged care, skills and youth development. The Second Harvest allows farmers to donate their post-harvest surpluses while they are harvesting, to ensure the food does not go to waste.
FoodForward SA Ambassador, Jenny Morris will host the launch of the programme at her cooking school called the CooksPlayground on 25 June 2018. Surplus food items will be cooked at the venue to showcase the wholesome food received by Beneficiary Organisations on a daily basis.
FoodForward SA is working with a network of farmers located in the Western Cape, Gauteng, and Durban to improve the nutrition level of the groceries provided to beneficiaries. According to Managing Director of FoodForward SA, Mr Andy Du Plessis, “Dedicated refrigerated vehicles go directly to our farmers to collect fresh fruit and vegetables while they are harvesting. This fresh produce meaningfully increases the nutritional value of the food distributed, as well as volume, which significantly increases the number of people FoodForward SA are able to reach.”
Foodbanking is the most effective solution at present to reducing hunger, and reducing food waste is the third most effective solution in fighting climate change. An independent study by WWF and Green House reflects that recovering food saved 17,400 tons of green house gas emissions, which is equivalent to 3,600 cars driven every day for a whole year.
The launch of Second Harvest will ensure that more agricultural production is redistributed to the hungry. FoodForward SA encourages farmers, growers, food processors, and other supply chain stakeholders to partner with them and join the food recovery revolution.
About FoodForward SA
Established in 2009 to address widespread hunger in South Africa, FoodForward SA connects a world of excess to a world of need by recovering surplus food from the consumer goods supply chain. In partnership with various stakeholders, we implement an ecosystem that uses surplus food as a catalyst for social change. Our model promotes 11 of the UN’s 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Twitter: @FoodForwardSA
Facebook: @foodforwardsa
LinkedIn: @FoodForward SA
For enquiries contact
Zimasa Jam Jam
zimasa@foodforwardsa.org or 021 531 5670
Ashleigh Stephan
ashleigh@foodforwardsa.org or 021 531 5670
OR
Candace Gawler
Candace.Gawler@fticonsulting.com |
Video shows pregnant teen screaming as officers shock her with stun gun | Please enable Javascript to watch this video
NEW YORK — Police are investigating a video that surfaced Tuesday showing officers shocking a pregnant 17-year-old girl as she screams in agony inside a New York City apartment building.
"Get off of me, get off of me!" the girl yelled as officers attempted to hold her down before using a stun gun — clearly visible in the cellphone video, according to WPIX.
According to the criminal complaint, the girl, Dailene Rosario, who is reportedly 14 weeks pregnant, interfered with the police, screaming at them before finally pushing past one officer. Rosario allegedly shoved the officer into the doorframe of an apartment as she went by.
The incident, which happened around 10 p.m. last Friday, began when officers, responding to an unrelated call at the Bronx building, happened upon a fight involving Rosario's ex-boyfriend and another man, according to the New York Daily News. The scuffle reportedly started over a video game.
When officers tried to handcuff her, Rosario threw herself down and sat on her hands.
"Yo, why are you cuffing me?" Rosario shouted, according to the complaint. "I didn't do anything."
In the cellphone video, Rosario is seen struggling with officers until they shock her with the stun gun. A group of onlookers gathered around the girl repeatedly shout at the officers, "She's pregnant. She's pregnant!"
Rosario is charged with resisting arrest, second degree harassment and disorderly conduct.
“We are aware of the incident,” the NYPD said in a written statement. “It is under internal review.” |
Saints' Unger showing progress in return from foot surgery | By Brett Martel
METAIRIE, La. — Saints starting centre Max Unger had his No. 60 jersey pulled down over shoulder pads and wore his helmet — a new look this training camp for a central figure on the offensive line that protects record setting quarterback Drew Brees, and an uplifting development for a squad that could use some good news on the injury front.
“It’s awesome to see Max” on the field in pads, right tackle Zach Strief said after Monday’s practice. “He got about 800, ‘Oh! Max is here!’ comments today, so I think everyone’s excited and I know he’s feeling really good. He’s been saying for a couple weeks now that he’s probably a good bit ahead of where he thought he would be at this point.”
The 6-foot-5, 305-pound Unger has been on the New Orleans’ physically unable to perform list since camp opened because of off-season foot surgery. He isn’t participating fully in practice yet, but could be seen moving vigorously near the edge of the practice field while engaging in light contact drills. His ramping up of on-field work raises the prospects of him meeting or beating his goal of being ready to play by Week 1 of the regular season.
“There are certain positions in football where a presence makes a difference,” veteran right tackle Zach Strief said. “For the offensive line, it’s a centre.
“He’s a leader for us, so when a guy comes back in and we start seeing the progression of him getting back to practice, it’s exciting for everybody.”
Unger, who was not available to media on Monday, had surgery in early May to tighten up an abnormally wide space in his Lisfranc joint, after which he spent about five weeks not walking on his left foot. Unger has said the injury began to bother him in Week 13 against Detroit last season, but he and coach Sean Payton have both said that foot specialists initially concluded that surgery could be avoided with rest and rehab.
“It was one of those things where you didn’t really know what was in there until they did surgery,” Unger said in June. “We thought it would heal on its own. It didn’t. The good thing is it got done.”
Unger said in June that he hoped to return in time to play in the regular season opener on Sept. 11 — a Monday night game at Minnesota.
Payton, however, sounded optimistic on Monday that Unger could be healthy enough to play by Week 3 of the preseason, when the Saints are home against Houston on Aug 26.
“He’s on schedule,” Payton said. “I’m pretty confident that he’s going to get some preseason work in a game. He’s doing well. … I don’t know if he’s going to get team (snaps) this week, but he’s out there now.
“He’s a bright guy, tough, a great leader. He’s been a great addition for this team, a great addition for the locker room and throughout the process he’s been real diligent and I know he’s encouraged,” Payton continued. “There’s been a steady pace at which he’s done the rehab and he’s done a real good job.”
The 31-year-old Unger won a Super Bowl with Seattle in the 2013 season and was named to the 2012 and 2013 Pro Bowls. With the Seahawks, he established himself as powerful blocker in a running game that featured Marshawn Lynch. The Saints acquired Unger in 2015 as part of a trade that sent star tight end Jimmy Graham to Seattle.
Last season, Unger started 15 games for New Orleans, helping Mark Ingram to a career-best 1,043 yards rushing.
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More AP NFL: www.pro32.ap.org and www.twitter.com/AP–NFL |
Liberals on track for $4B deficit | TORONTO -
Ontario’s fiscal watchdog says the Liberal government will run a deficit this fiscal year, despite claims it has balanced the budget.
In a new report Monday, the Financial Accountability Office said the Liberals will run a $4 billion deficit in 2017-2018, and will continue to be in the red over the next few years.
More moderate growth in revenues and the increasing fiscal impact of the province’s Fair Hydro Plan, which cuts electricity rates by 25 per cent, will take their toll on Ontario’s books the report notes. It also says a long-simmering accounting dispute between the Liberal government and Auditor General Bonnie Lysyk over how to count two public sector pension plans on the ledger is contributing to uncertainty.
“We’ve been very consistent that because of a number of factors we think the deficit will re-emerge,” said FAO chief economist David West. “Now, with this accounting debate it will become more significant.”
The Liberals presented a balanced budget in the spring, a year ahead of the provincial election, and have promised to keep the books in balance through the next couple of years.The FAO, however, projects the government’s budget deficit will grow to $9.8 billion in 2021-2022.
“The government is out borrowing this money,” West said. “This current year they’re going to borrow $23 billion in the markets. That’s going to rise to $45 billion in the coming years.”
The FAO also said the government’s new hydro plan will add $3.2 billion to the budget deficit by 2021-2022.
Last year Lysyk questioned the province’s decision to include a pair of public pensions — the Ontario Public Service Employee’s Union Pension Plan and the Ontario Teacher’s Pension Plan — as assets on its balance sheet.
The FAO said in its report that since the government has not adopted the auditor’s recommended accounting for both the pension assets, and with the addition of the Fair Hydro Plan, it is becoming more difficult for legislators and the public to assess the government’s fiscal projections. |
Thomas Chabot excited to continue his season | Thomas Chabot is ready to take on the world.
The Ottawa Senators top prospect on the blueline is back on the ice at his home near Quebec City this week as he prepares to pack his bags Thursday morning to head for Riga, Latvia to attend training camp with Team Canada to prepare for the world championships that get under way May 4th in Denmark.
The 21-year-old Chabot has had the chance to suit up for his country at two world junior championships, but this is the first opportunity the rookie defenceman will get the opportunity at this tourney with a Team Canada roster that includes Edmonton Oilers’ star Connor McDavid.
Chabot is looking forward to the challenge especially with former NHL’ers Sean Burke and Martin Brodeur as the co-general managers while Calgary Flames coach Bill Peters, who was named to his new post Monday after four years with the Carolina Hurricanes, will be behind the bench.
“It’s always fun to go and represent your country,” Chabot told this newspaper in a telephone interview Wednesday. “For me, it’s something different because it’s going to be the first time that I play for Team Canada at the men’s level and older guys we play against around the league.
“I’m going to get a chance to play with guys that are pretty great and amazing hockey players. I’m going to get a chance to play with them and learn more about the game so I’m looking forward to this tournament.”
Yes, this will be a learning experience, but it’s also an opportunity for Chabot to extend his season against some strong competition after the Senators finished 30th and played games down the stretch that really didn’t mean a whole lot in the big scheme of things.
“When I look back on my last two or three season I’ve always played for quite a long time and I’ve had a little bit short summer,” said Chabot, who won silver with Canada at the 2017 world junior championships . “After my first year in the NHL, not making the playoffs makes the season short and it gets you a long summer.
“When I got the call to go (to the worlds) I was excited because it makes the season longer and it also gives you chance to play a great level. It’s not like we’re going to play somewhere just for fun. It’s a good experience, we’re going to play great players against great countries and it’s going to be a good learning process for me.”
This was a season of adjustment for Chabot.
He started the year with the club’s AHL affiliate in Belleville but was called up in November and really never looked back. He finished with 9-16-25 points in 63 games with Ottawa and saw his ice time increased by coach Guy Boucher down the stretch.
“When I look back at training camp they felt like I needed to develop more of my game in my own zone to play in the NH,” said Chabot. “I think when I went back (to the AHL) I focused on it and once I got called up (for go0d) I felt like I was a better player and I felt like I wanted to make an impact.
“My goal when I got called up the last time was to stay (in Ottawa) the rest of the year and that’s what happened. They were telling me through the season that they were happy with the way I came back. I learned, and I was better in my own zone, and that’s what we worked on the rest of the year.
“When I look back from the first day of camp to the last day of the season I’ve come a long way. It’s not perfect, and it’s never going to be perfect, but when we see from the start of the season to the end we see a big difference in my game. That’s positive and the way we want to keep going.”
It will be a different challenge playing on the bigger ice but that fact doesn’t intimidate Chabot because he’s done it before while play for Canada at the world under-18 championships in Finland in 2015.
“It’s something I’m really looking forward to and I’ve always been excited to play on it,” Chabot said. “You can use more of your skating and more of your speed because there’s more room on the ice. It gives you more time and more space to skate.
“It makes the tournament even better playing on the big ice.”
bgarrioch@postmedia.com
Twitter: @sungarrioch |
Sanusi blows hot against Northern Leaders, says nobody can stop him from saying the truth | The Emir of Kano, Muhammad Sanusi II,has said that no intimidation or character assassination will stop him from telling what he considers the truth.
According to him, the attacks and insults that his statement attracted to him were aimed at diverting attention from the important issues he raised, which he said, were facts and not fiction.
Sanusi at the inaugural Annual Chibok Girls Lecture, spoke against the background of the controversy that followed the speech of in which he stated that the North-east and North-west regions of Nigeria are the poorest parts of the country.
the attacks and insults that his statement attracted to him were aimed at diverting attention from the important issues he raised, which he said, were facts and not fiction.
“There are those who believe these attacks are aimed at discrediting me personally but even if that is the objective it will be discredited by what I have done and not by insults and lies on the social media. And in any event, personal criticism has no impact on the issues,” he said.
Sanusi was represented by his daughter, Sahida Sanusi, at the event.
He said that based on statistics, over 70.8 per cent of women in North-west are unable to read and write compared to 9.7 per cent in the South-east zone, while adding that that more than two-third of 15 to 19-year-old girls in the North are unable to read a single sentence compared to less than 10 per cent in the South.
He lamented that about 78 per cent of adolescent girls are in marriages in the North-west, 68 per cent in the North-east and 35 per cent in the North-central, adding that the numbers clearly mirrored the regions that are poorest in the country.
“These statistics are not flattering. And they speak to a truth that is inconvenient to most of us. The culture of silence must end. We have a problem. In fact we have an existential crisis. And all of us in this country, politicians, intellectuals, emirs and traditional rulers, religious leaders, businesses, NGOS have to come together to solve this. The real patriots in the North are those who are honest enough to accept this reality and insist on change,” he said.
He stated that poverty in the North and in Nigeria, was as a result of decades of failed social policy adding that it was only by recognising this and accepting it that the nation can even hope to make progress. “We are dealing with an anti-intellectual environment, and with people whose failure has bred a sense of insecurity which leads to incomprehensible, almost insane, reactions to simple advice.
Secondly, that these problems are deep-seated and have been there for a long time so changing mind-sets will be a difficult and painful process. Finally we must never succumb to the temptation to join our opponents in the gutter. You may say what you like about me for as long as you like, so long as you address the issues. As Michelle Obama famously said: 'When they go low, we go high',” he said.
Sanusi who had earlier spoken through a recorded video stated that the choice of his daughter as a representative was deliberate so as to show by example the importance of girl-child education in the North and the consequences of ignoring the crises which could be grave.
While commending the #BringBackOurGirls group for still demanding for the release of the abducted girls, he called on the group to broaden it's message and advocacy to cover all girls and boys abducted by Boko Haram, and also draw attention to the condition of girls and women in country.
He wondered the type of society the girls will come back to meet as the kind of society the nation has created was no doubt the root cause for the emergence of groups like Boko Haram and occurrences like the Chibok tragedy.
“Our interest should be in bringing back all our girls. But after these girls are brought back, shall we ask ourselves as well: where are they being brought back to? What kind of society? How much better is the 'normal' environment we all take for granted than Boko Haram camps,?” he queried.
The chairperson of the event, Prof Grace Alele-Williams stated that it was a shame that a country like Nigeria which boasts of being the Giant of Africa could not rescue the abducted girls.
Alele-Williams who is the first Nigerian woman to receive a doctorate degree, the first Nigerian female professor of mathematics education, and the first woman to be a vice chancellor of a university in Africa, spoke of the importance of girl-child education |
Google promoting Home Max on Chrome's New Tab Page | Google's new Home Max speaker is pretty great. It can become deafeningly loud, and includes Google Assistant. The only downside is the price - $400 is quite a lot for a speaker. It looks like Google is trying to sell more of them, because the company has placed a small ad for the Home Max on Chrome's New Tab Page.
Web browsers usually get plenty of angry users when advertising shows up on the New Tab Page, and both Chrome and Firefox have tried it in the past (in Firefox's defense, Mozilla doesn't make billions of dollars in advertising revenue to support the browser). Before you get the pitchforks out, this is about as unobtrusive as advertising can get. It's just one line of text with a link.
The link takes you straight to the Google Store, where you can buy your very own Home Max. Exciting stuff. |
One element that can make or break your business | Let me set the scene. It’s 11.59pm, the job is due out tomorrow for a customer who is super picky about the packaging, and he won’t…
A long, long time ago in a galaxy far, far away… well in Cairns anyway, I had three different casual jobs in different restaurants around the place, as was the style at the time, and I saw a job in the paper for a salesperson in a catering equipment business. “Well”, I thought, “that sounds like it is for me… no more working nights, being on my feet all day and no more peeling potatoes and cleaning prawns”.
So, I borrowed a pair of dress shoes from my landlord, along with an old double-breasted green suit he had lying around, and a tie with print of Salvador Dali’s time warp on it (well it was the 90s and I thought I was very cool…) and one of those shiny dress shirts, and off I set in my series 2A 1968 Land Rover for the interview.
“I’m a chef and so are your customers” – that was basically my pitch. “I know what they are thinking, what’s important to them, what floats their boats.” A good approach I thought, though perhaps a little bold for a 24-year-old a long way from home.
Well, I got the job, and what a learning ground it turned out to be.
I was making the transition from cooking in a restaurant, where your order cycle is 10 to 15 minutes, to an environment which had a sales cycle that could be months or even years long.
One day, early on, my boss has all we eager, fresh-faced 20-something sales people in one of our weekly sales meetings and then – I don’t know if he invented this or borrowed it from someone else – but here it is: “Tell me guys. Who is the most important person in the business?”
Various answers were given by the Dali and Mickey Mouse tie-wearing salesforce: “Ah. You boss, or the guy that owns the place…”
The correct answer is: the customer!
It was amazing that none of us had come up with that answer.
When you come into your office tomorrow and you sit down on your chair behind your desk and turn on your computer remember who paid for the chair – the customer.
And look at how all of our businesses, no matter the ilk, have changed since the 90s – competition, the Internet. We had computers back then, but the idea of sitting at home or the bus stop or wherever you like and shopping on your phone was unimaginable.
We live in a world of infinite choices and shopping is easier than ever
The choices consumers had back then were more limited. Think about the amount of effort it previously required to buy something. You had to go to a shop or call them up and order. Now you just tap a few keys and your purchase is done and paid for.
Goods and services
Everything we buy is a mixture of goods and service. While goods can sometimes be the same from many different vendors, it’s the service that can make the difference and create value for the customer. And it’s that value that keeps them coming back.
There is no better way to create value for your customers than by providing customer service excellence.
Think about the last time you made a major purchase, or minor for that matter. You got the goods you wanted and they probably performed the desired task, but the thing you will remember is the service.
For me it’s the reason I will go back to the same place every single time I buy the goods or service. Or, in some cases, never give my business to that company ever again.
Let me give you an example from just last week in my business.
To set the scene… it’s 11.59pm, the job is due out tomorrow for a customer who is super picky about the packaging, and he won’t use labels with a UV varnish, as it doesn’t fit with his brand; so they mark every time that you touch them.
My solution is white gloves for all the staff and to put some foam netting around the product before it goes in the shipper, sort of like the stuff around a papaya.
Of course, I don’t have this on hand but need to find some in a hurry, and it’s 5.01pm on a Tuesday. Job is due out to customer on the Wednesday.
I ring supplier A: “Yeah well. It’s after 5, and I’m not sure we have that. But I can ring my supplier tomorrow and find out what the lead time is and get you a price”. Her tone was something like my request had been, “Please cut off your left arm”.
“Okay. Let me know”, I say.
So, I ring supplier B: “Okay. Will call you back in five”. He rings back, four minutes later, “I can have three boxes tomorrow am. I will pick them up from the supplier on my way in and drive them out to you myself. I will be there by 10am”.
Wow! That’s the kind of experience I want my customers to have with my business. You may have noticed, I didn’t even ask the price because it was the service that mattered.
Think about the service
Make the customer service you deliver in your business the best, and it will be the reason they keep coming back to buy from you, no matter the length of the sales cycle you are in or the nature of your goods or service. It’s the service that people will remember.
How do you provide this? For me, it’s a simple mantra: communicate, communicate and then, when you have done that, communicate some more.
Communicate
By communicate I don’t mean meaningless spam email (that is called permission marketing and it’s actually negative). I mean communicate something meaningful at each key touchpoint in your process – your order has been despatched; here is the tracking number; thanks for your business; here is 10% off your next purchase.
The other key to customer service excellence is people with the right attitude who are empowered to make customers happy.
Remember we don’t buy off companies; we buy off people.
About the author Craig Fallshaw Craig Fallshaw, founder of Complementary Medicines Group, comes from a long line of Australian natural products manufacturers. His industry career, spanning more than 25 years, began in the family business, a contract manufacturer founded by his grandfather in 1972. Craig, from Sydney’s Northern Beaches, is a keen photographer and loves employing his drone to photograph otherwise inaccessible places. Email Craig at [email protected]. |
William few Pkwy and Chamblin Rd new traffic signal - WFXG FOX 54 - News Now | Columbia County wants to inform the driving public of a new traffic signal installation. It’s located at William Few Parkway and Chamblin Road.
The light is scheduled to go into flashing mode on Friday October 6th, 2017. The signal will remain in flashing mode for the remainder of this week, including the weekend. The signal is scheduled to be placed into normal stop and go operation on Tuesday, October 10, 2017.
Copyright 2017 WFXG. All rights reserved. |
Inquiry after man found dead in barricaded fire flat | Image copyright Erika Tsang Image caption Witnesses said the smoke appeared to be coming from a care home complex
A man's body has been found after emergency services forced their way into a barricaded property.
Police were called by ambulance crews to a flat in Devonshire Court, Oadby, in Leicestershire at about 17:50 BST.
Due to a fire at the scene, the fire service attended and gained entry to the premises.
Police confirmed they had earlier had contact with the dead man and had referred the case to the Independent Office of Police Conduct.
No further details of the deceased have been released.
Police said the flat was barricaded from the inside and an investigation into the full circumstances surrounding the man's death had begun. |
Swarm of earthquakes centered on Sea of Galilee hits northern Israel | JERUSALEM (JTA) — Several earthquakes, including one measuring 4.2 on the Richter scale, jolted the Sea of Galilee in northern Israel on Wednesday morning.
Most of the earthquakes, known as a swarm, were small and unnoticeable. But at least one measured in at 4.1 at about 4:50 a.m., according to the Geophysical Institute of Israel. The earthquake was located about 4 kilometers underground.
Many people reported feeling the quake, from nearby areas such as Tiberias, and as far away as Raanana, in central Israel.
Nearly 30 temblors with a magnitude of more than 2.5 have occurred in the area since 1973, with 18 of them since 2000. A similar swarm of earthquakes occurred in 2013, according to the institute.
The Sea of Galilee is located on top of the Dead Sea Fault, also known as the Great Rift Valley, which runs from Africa to Turkey. |
Mourinho is ensuring that his big budget cast give big budget performances | Manchester United's players are living up to their blling (Photo: James Bayliss, AMA lGetty Images)
If an actor is paid £10million for a film, do people complain? In general, no. Of course, it is gross, obscene even. And yet it is accepted that the 'A-list' actors are paid incredible sums. Yet elite footballers don't seem to be afforded the same indifference.
If a footballer has a bad game, then the first thing that is brought up is the money they are earning. An actor can make a bad film, but whilst the reputation and future earnings could be affected, nobody judges the money they receive.
In 1995, Kevin Costner was Hollywood's darling, and he got involved in a project called Waterworld. Now, anybody unfortunate enough to have paid to watch this film would have wanted their money back. Those who watched it and didn't pay, well they just wasted nearly three hours of their lives.
It was one of the biggest budget films ever at the time, yet the film stank. It was a disaster. Ironically, it ended up making money from video sales, but it was a flop in the box office. Costner still got paid.
In many ways, Manchester United have been like the Waterworld project. They have been throwing money around ever since Sir Alex Ferguson retired, but the public have been short changed.
Was it the cast? Or was it the Directors?
The players brought in by David Moyes and Louis van Gaal were done at a huge cost, both in transfer fees and wages. Moyes wanted 'A-listers' but struggled to attract them, even with the lure of money. Van Gaal went initially that way, but the likes of Radamel Falcao and Angel Di Maria got stage fright, and he changed his approach.
He brought in a raft of decent players, some with mere potential, but he struggled to make them work together and the result made for dour viewing. He wasn't looking to make a blockbuster, but more of an 'art house' flick.
The trouble with 'art house' films is that they may be technically brilliant, and actors can carry out the directors' instructions to the letter, but they are usually downright boring.
Van Gaal did claim success in the form of the FA Cup, and that run itself was in stark contrast to most league games. There was passion, there was excitement and it culminated in a gripping finale. The final was like a Rocky film, with United seemingly on the canvas only to deliver a late knockout blow.
The players have to take some of the responsibility for the performances that ultimately cost van Gaal his job. The great actors on times ad lib, but none of United's players were prepared to move away from the script. There was no risk. it was all too safe.
United have players that want to be on the stage
Old Trafford is one of the great stages, and although it is likely that most players came for prestige and not just money, the fact is they were brought in on bloated wages. When van Gaal went, he left a squad that could basically rest on their laurels.
Jose Mourinho seems to understand what it means to play for Manchester United and six months after his arrival, players now understand those days of going through the motions are gone.
He made his intentions known. Firstly with Bastian Schweinsteiger, then one of his own signings, Henrikh Mkhitaryan. He tried to force Schweinsteiger out of the club and made him train away from the first-team. It didn't work. When you earn big bucks and believe you deserve the stage, then even Mourinho is limited in what he can do.
Schweinsteiger, to his credit, has been professional as ever, and Mourinho has relented in bringing him back in the main group though he has only played one cameo role. With Mkhitaryan, Mourinho again was a little humiliating with his treatment.
He openly criticised Mkhitaryan after hauling him off at half time in the Manchester Derby. He then continued to leave him out of squads altogether, fuelling speculation that Mkhitaryan may be on borrowed time. However, also to the Armenian's credit, he admitted being at fault and has returned with some Academy Award winning performances.
Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Paul Pogba have been outstanding of late (Photo: Alex Livesey /Getty Images)
The four players he brought in included some top stars for huge money, but the onus was on quality. All four are showing their class, and that has rubbed off on the group he inherited.
Exit Stage Right
The job is a monster but he is slowly, but surely, ensuring that everybody on the project has to play their part. No exceptions. He had a difficult task to assess the players he adopted, but he has done that now. Those who do not want to be involved, can exit the stage.
Morgan Schneiderlin has expressed his desire to do just that. It has been somewhat of a surprise that Schneiderlin has struggled to make an impact, and possibly more so that he is prepared to go out with a whimper. He battled his way through the lower leagues, but has decided he cannot stand the heat.
In one sense, it is understandable, he wants to perform. Yet having worked his way to the top, he is not prepared to fight to stay there. West Bromwich Albion could be his destination, but Mourinho has also shown that despite United being cash rich, the days of United giving away players is gone.
As Moyes and van Gaal blew money left right and centre paying over the odds, the players who made way were allowed to go for a song. Players like Chicharito, Nani and Rafael were allowed to go for much less than their worth, but Mourinho is being practical. The bid for Schneiderlin was cheeky at best at around £13 million, but he correctly dismissed it out of hand.
Indeed other players unable to get game time, most notably Memphis Depay and until recently Anthony Martial, have had their hopes dashed by being told there will be no loans. In doing so, he is forcing the players to choose the easy route to perhaps more money, or commit to the long haul. Mourinho is cleverly finding out about the fabric of his squad.
Performances are worthy of the arena
And so after a difficult start, some inconsistent performances and some poor results it seems that Mourinho has found the right recipe. The team are now performing like a Manchester United team should.
They are exciting, industrious and a joy to watch. For the past two months, almost every performance has been a thriller. The big stars are putting in big performances, but the supporting cast, such as Ander Herrera have been excellent.
When the prizes are handed out at the end of the year, United may well be missing out on the big one. Chelsea have shown so much consistency and are going to be hard-pressed to overcome. However, there is more than one gong on offer.
If the title eludes United this year, there is a great chance to pick up some other silverware. A league cup semi-final approaches and United will be looking to see off Reading and St Etienne in the other cup competitions.
Even if United did go empty handed, it is clear that Jose Mourinho has put an end to United's 'Waterworld' period. This team is compulsive viewing, and there will be plenty of returning customers. |
UK authorities seek warrant for Cambridge Analytica offices | Cambridge Analytica, the data analytics firm at the center of a scandal over misused Facebook user data, may soon find its offices raided by UK authorities.
UK Information Commissioner Elizabeth Denham said Monday she's seeking a warrant to search the company's offices and servers for any evidence of illegal activity. The company had harvested information from 50 million Facebook accounts without users' permission and then misused it for political ads during the 2016 US presidential election, The New York Times reported Saturday.
Denham told the UK's Channel 4 that her office "has been carrying out an investigation into data analytics and political profiling and micro-targeting for several months now. And we have heard similar allegations during our investigation."
The comments come after consultants for the company were caught on camera offering to film politicians being bribed and circulate the videos on the internet in exchange for cash. They also offered to use Ukrainian sex workers and companies employing ex-spies to help dig dirt on political candidates.
Cambridge Analytica denied using entrapments or bribes for any purpose.
Facebook said Friday it has suspended Cambridge Analytica and Cambridge professor Aleksandr Kogan, who created an app called "thisisyourdigitallife," a personality quiz that was billed as "a research app used by psychologists." Kogan is the founder and a director of Global Science Research, which worked with Cambridge Analytica to harvest the data from the quiz, The Observer reported.
Kogan's data-gathering was in compliance with Facebook's rules. But, Facebook says, Kogan then sent this data to Cambridge Analytica without user permission, something that's against the social network's rules.
Cambridge Analytica didn't immediately respond to a request for comment on a possible pending raid on its offices.
iHate: CNET looks at how intolerance is taking over the internet.
Tech Enabled: CNET chronicles tech's role in providing new kinds of accessibility. |
Doughnut Shop’s Charity Drive Attacked by LGBT Crowd for Slight Salvation Army Ties | A Portland, Maine, doughnut shop was viciously attacked on social media by LGBT activists for trying to help a family in need this Christmas season. The store’s crime: enlisting the assistance of the Salvation Army.
According to Portland’s WCSH, the Holy Donut announced on its Facebook page that customers who donated to the store’s drive to help a needy family with five children would be given free doughnuts or T-shirts.
Had the store left it at that, there would have been no controversy. However, they made the mistake of confessing to the unforgivable sin among social-justice warriors: consorting with Christians. The Holy Donut, it seems, had dared ask the Salvation Army to identify a needy family whom the store could help and to provide the ages and clothing sizes of the children in the family.
That was all it took to get the store’s Facebook page flooded with angry comments from LGBT activists who allege that the Salvation Army discriminates against the LGBT community. “Indeed,” noted the Blaze, “commenters wrote that the Salvation Army has a ‘history of turning away LGBT people and supporting anti-LGBT laws’ and engages in ‘active homophobia.’”
The Portland Press Herald reported that another commenter wrote that the Salvation Army “proselytize[s] people in their programs,” an accusation that, if true, should hardly come as a surprise. After all, the organization’s website says “its mission is to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ and to meet human needs in his name” — and, it adds, “without discrimination.”
The Salvation Army, in a separate statement, categorically denies discriminating against LGBT people, saying to do so “is in direct opposition to our core beliefs,” or spending any funds on lobbying. Nevertheless, as a Christian ministry, it has occasionally been forced to take stands against the LGBT lifestyle and same-sex marriage, and for such stands it has become a target of the militant LGBT activists, many of whom showed up to criticize Holy Donut and subject it to poor online reviews. Some even threatened a boycott of the business.
According to Fox News’ Todd Starnes, one Facebook commenter wrote, “In case you forgot, a solid 70 percent of your clientele is part of the LGBTQ community. You’re making a silent statement that you’re completely fine with [the Salvation Army’s] choices.”
The Press Herald recounted another comment: “People are going to boycott The Holy Donut because of YOUR choices. Do you see what we’re getting at? You’re supporting an establishment that doesn’t support your customers, so your customers will stop supporting you.”
At first, the Holy Donut tried to distance itself from the Salvation Army, posting on Facebook: “We do not support the Salvation Army or consider them our ‘partner’ for this project, they simply linked us to a needy family…. We have nothing to gain here, we just wanted to help a family in need. It seems we have offended people which obviously we regret and that was not our intention in a holiday gift drive.”
That, according to the Blaze, was not enough to satisfy activists out for blood, who responded that the Holy Donut was not “taking responsibility” for its supposedly harmful actions, so the store “posted a contrite follow-up message … saying it ‘made several oversights and mistakes’ and ‘did a poor job in doing our due diligence in choosing the vehicle to help a needy family and we only made matters worse in the way we handled the aftermath.’”
Both of the store’s posts have since been deleted from Facebook because of the vitriolic responses to them.
LGBT activists can now pat themselves on the back for causing a poor family’s needs to go unmet this Christmas — er, “winter holiday” — and for making it that much less likely that the Holy Donut and other Portland businesses will try to help the less fortunate in the future. Is it possible that the G in LGBT stands for Grinch?
Image: Screenshot of Holy Donut website |
Trump's Indonesian business partner 'eyeing presidency' | JAKARTA: Donald Trump's Indonesian business partner has revealed he may follow the example of the brash US billionaire and run for president, a report said on Monday (Jan 2).
Hary Tanoesoedibjo, who is building two Trump Organisation projects, told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation he was considering becoming a candidate in Indonesia's 2019 presidential elections for the sake of the country.
"If there is no one I can believe who can fix the problems of the country, I may try to run for president," said the media mogul and property developer, who has his own political party.
"We need a leader with integrity who can bring a solution for the country," the 51-year-old billionaire added.
If Tanoesoedibjo were to be successful, it could mean there are two world leaders who have been business partners, raising fresh concerns about potential conflicts of interest related to Trump's business empire.
Trump, who will be inaugurated on Jan 20, has sought to allay worries by insisting that "no new deals" will be struck during his presidency and that his two sons will manage his companies.
In Indonesia, Tanoesoedibjo is working on a Trump project outside Jakarta and one on the resort island of Bali, with both in the early stages.
The project close to Jakarta is a 700-hectare development that includes a luxury hotel, a golf course, a country club and villas, according to the Trump Hotels website.
The Bali resort will be built on a clifftop overlooking a famous Hindu temple.
In an earlier interview with the New York Times, Tanoesoedibjo insisted he did not believe the projects represented a conflict of interest for the president-elect.
“His family and children have the freedom to do business as long as it is arm’s length and unrelated to the president’s position,” he said.
The businessman, whose interests include media company MNC Group, said he has access to Trump although his day-to-day contact is mostly with the children.
"I have access to him, of course, because we are in cooperation, but I have to limit the cooperation and interaction," he told the ABC.
Tanoesoedibjo has long had political ambitions. He made an unsuccessful attempt to win nomination as a vice-presidential candidate for 2014 elections and has now started his own party, United Indonesia. |
Letter from the Editor: Does student-focused university really mean student focused? | How Chapman’s ballooning mental health issue shows its true attitude toward students.
Chapman, we have a serious problem.
We can find a way to borrow $150 million to buy a new housing project, but not, apparently, a way to address the mental health crisis on our campus.
In late October, Student Government President Mitchell Rosenberg announced that there were 90 students on the waitlist to see a counselor at Chapman’s Student Psychological Services (SPCS). That number represents a tripling of the usual waitlist.
Director of Psychological Counseling Services Jeanne Walker attributed this rise to recent tragedies like the Las Vegas shooting and the fires that raged in Anaheim Hills and Sonoma and Napa Counties in October. She said it was difficult to provide help to all the students asking for it.
“This (semester) was not a good situation, and we are sad about it,” Walker said. “This year was like a tidal wave.”
Unsaid is that there are probably even more students who want help but don’t bother seeking it, knowing they will have to wait at least three weeks. Given the flood of anxiety, depressi, n and suicide afflicting people of college age, we should be reducing the obstacles that stand between students and receiving mental health care – not adding to them.
Chapman sells itself as a “student-centered university.” The mission of our counseling center is to “assist students in functioning effectively in the university environment by assessing and supporting their psychological well-being as they pursue personal and academic goals,” according to a statement on its website.
But Dean of Students Jerry Price contends that adding more counselors is not the answer to shortening the waitlist, telling The Panther, “We just can’t keep up by adding people. The more we add, the more students come in.”
Amplifying his remarks at Prowl’s request, he added, “We think that the model of relying on the counseling center as the primary way we support students is not the most effective way to do it.”
Chapman may hire a case manager to help triage people on the waitlist – who would refer those with academic and other non-mental health problems to more appropriate campus resources – but the university has no plans to hire more counselors, Price said, noting that the university does not want to provide long-term care for troubled students.
Price referenced Brown University, a school similar in undergraduate size but has double the number of counselors as Chapman. Brown’s waitlist is still two weeks, but Chapman’s is three.
“We could double our staff and reduce our waitlist by a week. To me, that’s an arms race we can’t win,” Price said.
But doesn’t reducing the waitlist by even just a week seem like a better idea than doing nothing? What does the administration’s response say about the priorities of this $64,000 “student-centered” university? And why have a counseling center on campus if you don’t want students to take advantage of it?
Chapman should solve the problem – instead of just studying it or trying to refer it away – by diverting money it spends elsewhere toward hiring counselors. If the university is concerned about hiring more full-time staff than it needs, it can hire temporary or part-time counselors to be available as needed.
Universities are competitive. Chapman doesn’t want to fall behind in guaranteeing fancy housing that will attract new students. But what about the students already here? Shouldn’t our survival be a priority? Yes, survival. The university’s failure to provide a human ear on demand can be a life and death matter.
Suicide is the second-leading cause of death for 20- to 24-year olds (trailing accidents), with suicide rates in that age group tripling since the 1950s.
Let’s put this in context by comparing the other resources Chapman provides to keep us safe. Chapman has 19 Public Safety officers, according to Chief of Public Safety Randy Burba, and this number doesn’t even include staff support for Public Safety in the form of dispatchers, fire and life safety personnel, parking and transportation, and clerical staff.
How many people do we have qualified to talk to students about their problems in the counseling center?
Seven.
According to Price.
Yet, 17.6 percent of all 10- to 24-year-olds who died in 2015 died as a result of suicide, while only 14.6 percent of those deaths were attributed to homicide, according to a new Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report.
See the problem?
Seven.
Why are we so bummed, anyway?
Millennials, which classifies most college students report the highest levels of stress compared to other age groups.
For many students, college is the first time in their lives that they are away from family and loved ones. We also face epic financial pressures, as stratospheric tuition costs leave us accruing record levels of debt while we may not know what major, let alone career, we want to pursue – not to mention our inability to speak to friends about stress as they are probably floundering too. Many of us stumble as we take on classes and course loads that we can’t handle, while mourning breakups, dying pets and relatives, lost friends and, for some, the defeat of Hillary Clinton.
And don’t forget the usual “who am I?” dilemma we deal with, on top of an increasing pressure to pull great grades, have internships and prove ourselves. The requirements of our classes often undermine our efforts to do the common sense things we know keep us sane, such as eating healthy, exercising, and getting enough sleep. (Let me know if you find the time to fit all of that into your daily routine.)
We need a friendly, trusted human ear – nearby and on demand, not somewhere in Fullerton or Garden Grove. We need available, on-campus counselors closeby because, in many cases, our families and loved ones are nowhere near. What trusted person can we turn to for support when dealing with stressful changes and demands?
“Psychological help is necessary for college students,” said Jazzie Newton, a junior peace studies major. “Everything they know is changing, and they have to juggle so many different things. It’s really hard.”
For decades, we have emphasized grades instead of well-being and happiness. This attitude needs to change, and it starts with clearing the waitlist at the Chapman counseling center. Our school will only get bigger, so how can we expect the administration to look out for our mental health with thousands of new students in the coming years when we can’t even do it now?
The answer is more counselors, and for administrators to actually help their students. C’mon, Chapman. If you’re going to boast that we’re a student-centered university, start acting like one. We don’t need a bunch of empty promises. We need ready, convenient, trustworthy, and talented psychological help.
Administrators need to heed the studies on the decline of student mental health and increase the resources because it’s not just one or two people – it’s all of us. We’re all struggling. And there are still 90 people on the waitlist ahead of us. |
Gorilly Goods Features Nutritious, Ethically Produced Snacks | From organic farming to food trucks, Christine and Stephen McDiarmid, founders of Reallygoods (N173 W21170 Northwest Passage, Jackson, Wis.) are no strangers to healthy foods and the environmental and socially conscious missions beyond the plate. Their Gorilly Goods raw, vegan snacks, available in sweet or savory blends, are a combination of taste, nutrition and sustainability—produced in a plant that is powered by 100% renewable energy and composts all food waste.
“We were looking to move back to our roots in Southeast Wisconsin, and Stephen thought our unique snack could become a purposeful new business,” said Christine.
Their families always called their homemade snacks ‘really good,’ so when they started producing them in 2012, they initially named the snacks Reallygoods, only to find out from their trademark attorney that they couldn’t use that name. Instead, they chose Gorilly Goods.
The McDiarmids considered charitable organizations to align with and eventually chose The Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund International, which protects mountain gorillas in Rwanda and Grauer’s gorillas in the Republic of Congo. Gorilly Goods shares 2% of its profits with the fund and also provides the organization with Gorilly Goods for events and meetings. They also adopt gorillas through the organization.
Gorilly Goods snack ingredients are gluten-free and vegan. They are inspected and certified through the Midwest Organic Services Association. The three Gorilly Goods snack varieties include Jungle (also sold under Original), a dehydrated cluster of bananas, nuts, raisins and coconut. The blend combines slight sweetness with a nutty flavor and has a unique, chewy texture with slight crunch. Hillside, sold also under “Savory”, features pumpkin seeds and kale, mildly seasoned with tamari, onion and cayenne. The Forest (or Chocolate) variety, which uses the Jungle clusters, is tossed in raw dark organic chocolate sweetened with crystalized coconut nectar. The chocolate comes from their supplier in Bali and is 70% cacao, with low temperature roasting, thus retaining all antioxidants and minerals.
All three varieties are raw and dehydrated at low temperatures to keep the nutrients intact. The nuts and seeds are soaked to make them easy to digest and more nutritious through better vitamin and mineral absorption. The 1.7-ounce pouches are ideal portions to get a healthy dose of energy while out on the trail, or for a mid-morning snack at the office.
In March 2016, the McDiarmids wanted to expand the line and sought funding. Through Food and Beverage of Wisconsin and Slow Money Wisconsin, Gorilly Goods applied for a pitch presentation at Natural Products Expo West, a natural foods show in California. Canadian-based Nature’s Path, makers of organic breakfast foods, was a 2016 sponsor. The Nature’s Path panel loved Gorilly Goods; talks ensued, and a partnership between the McDiarmids and Nature’s Path was reached this past September.
This year, Gorilly Goods introduced stickpacks: single-serve packs featuring Coast, a curry cashew blend with raisins, coconut and a touch of coconut nectar; Trail, a balanced mix of goji berries, sweetened cacao nibs, nuts, raisins, pumpkin seeds and pineapple; and Baja, a blend of pumpkin and hemp seeds, fresh cilantro, fresh lime zest, lime juice and chili flakes with sea salt.
Gorilly Goods can be found at retailers throughout Wisconsin or ordered online. It is an official snack sponsor of the annual U.S. National Kubb Championship, held in Eau Claire, Wis., and it also sponsors several charitable events in Milwaukee and supports land conservation efforts in Waukesha County. For more information, visit gorillygoods.com. |
Hotel Artemis’s New York Premiere Party Served as a Hideout for Sterling K. Brown, Jim Carrey, and More | Advertisement 1 / 6
“I love L.A.! I know I’m not supposed to say that in New York,” says writer and first-time director Drew Pearce as he introduces his debut “kick-ass thriller,” Hotel Artemis. “It’s set in a secret hospital for criminals in Los Angeles in 2028 and it’s the story of what happens the one night when the wrong group gets trapped in.” It may have been the wrong set of criminals but, without a doubt, the right cast. Jodie Foster plays the no-nonsense nurse at the helm of the dystopian villain hospital who enforces the no guns, no cops, and no killing mantra on the other patients, played by Dave Bautista, Jeff Goldblum, and Sterling K. Brown, just to name a few.
For Foster and the rest of the cast, it was the love of the original script that drew them to the film in the first place. Sterling K. Brown, who plays a bank robber, pinpointed the exact moment he fell for the idea. “The script was dope; it’s an original story, and actually when I sat down with Drew, and heard his whole take on how the whole thing was going to go, he had such enthusiasm and vision for the whole thing, so that was it—and Jodie Foster.” And the costumes, fellow bank robber Brian Tyree Henry quipped; “three-piece suits!”
No stranger to action-packed thrillers himself, Keegan-Michael Key was there to support his friend, Brown. (Both actors are set to star in Shane Black’s Predator reboot this September.) “I love an action thriller that has some kind of twist or fun thing to it and it looks like we’ll have the opportunity for that tonight,” Key said. When asked if there were any superheroes we could use today, Key was quick to reveal one already in our midst. “Well we just had the origin of Swift Woman appear today. Her name is Channing Dungey but in real life she’s called Swift Woman.” Dungey is the president of ABC who just yesterday cancelled the series reboot Roseanne after the star, Roseanne Barr, tweeted racist remarks. “She’s called Swift Woman because she’s like, ‘Oh you did something silly and horrible and hurtful, your show is now cancelled.’ ” Justice swiftly served.
After the Cinema Society–hosted screening at Quad Cinema, guests walked a couple doors down to Society Café at Walker Hotel Greenwich Village. There, a cozy backroom hosted Qui tequila cocktails aptly named Criminal’s Concoction and The Nurse’s Prescription. In between bites of chicken-and-waffle sliders and Margherita pizza, the candlelight glow of the room revealed Sterling and the cast had staked claim to a corner booth, and Jim Carrey another. Having just finished a 7:00 p.m. performance of the new broadway hit The Boys in the Band, Zachary Quinto wasn’t about to pass up the after-party on his way home for the day. He played Crosby, the devious son of villain extraordinaire, Jeff Goldblum. “I mean Jeff is so Goldblum, it’s crazy. He’s everything that I wanted him to be and hoped that he was. . . . Listening to him sort of go off on tangents and recite lines from Death of a Salesman and then go right into a take; it was really fun!”
One scene you won’t see in the film is a certain unrehearsed CPR situation between Brown and Henry. As Brown recounted, “I just went straight in. I’m like yeah, I’m proud of myself, I didn’t even think about it. And then we go to take two and as I’m leaning in, he goes, ‘You have very tender lips.’ Action!” Ever the professional, Sterling didn’t break character.
Hotel Artemis opens in theaters June 8. |
Are Katy Perry & Orlando Bloom Back Together? It's Definitely Possible | Who knew American Idol could be the source of some juicy celebrity gossip? Well, as far as Katy Perry is concerned, the reality singing competition is all about hot gossip. And she revealed a bit about her and Orlando Bloom during a recent Idol-related interview. So, are Katy Perry and Orlando Bloom back together? They could be if you’re reading the clues right!
In an interview with ET’s Lauren Zima, Perry and her fellow Idol judges, Luke Bryan and Motown legend Lionel Richie, somehow managed to broach the topic of dating contestants. Kind of an odd topic for an interview, especially when you consider the power dynamics at play there, but the Idol crew ran with it.
They ran with it so much, in fact, that Bryan even ventured to say that Perry would absolutely date a contestant on the show.
"Yes, Katy's like that," Bryan said jokingly. "She totally could."
And that’s when the Orlando Bloom moment happened. To defend herself, Perry responded with:
No, I'm sorry I have been spoken for and speak for myself. And I'm very happy!
Spoken for, huh? That definitely sounds like she’s involved with someone.
To clarify Perry’s statement, the interviewer asked if she was a “Mrs. Broom” in reference to a recent post Perry made on Instagram. The post shows Perry holding up a drawing of Bloom holding a broom. The caption on the photo? “Orlando Broom.”
Perry, of course, said she wasn’t “Mrs. Broom,” but didn’t let the moment pass without first winking at the camera. Even Lionel Richie was shocked at that one.
So, what’s the verdict here? The world will just have to wait and see! But it’s very possible that a reconciliation between Perry and Bloom is currently in the works.
Elite Daily has reached out to Perry’s and Bloom’s teams for comment on these reports, but did not receive a response by the time of this publication.
All that said, though, this isn’t the first time Perry has hinted that there are still some feelings between her and Bloom. Back in March 2018, Perry left a rather flirtatious comment on one of Bloom’s Instagram pics in which he appears shirtless.
"Oh hey! I was actually looking for a washboard to do my laundry on," Perry wrote.
Flirtatious, indeed. Wonder what Bloom thought of it, especially if they really aren’t back together. Perry, 33, and Bloom, 41, split in February 2017 after a year of dating.
Despite the breakup, a source told ET in February 2018 that the two celebs have been trying to rekindle the romance and give it a second chance:
The time they spend together alone is a way for them to build a new healthy relationship that is not under the eyes of their fans and the world. They both live very busy lives and have carefully made a plan to give their love a second chance.
Clearly, there’s a lot of love between Perry and Bloom. They seem to respect each other and that they may be trying to give love another chance is really heartwarming.
Perry and Bloom initially started dating in 2016. They hit it off at the Golden Globes and then spent the next year navigating love and romance together. While their split was amicable and seemed to be linked to Bloom’s need to branch out, there were few indications that he and the singer were on bad terms.
And now it’s looking like they might be on the fast track to romance once again, which is so great. It’s couples like these, who handle their ups and downs maturely, that give the romantics hope! |
StreamTuner2 v2.2 Released For Internet Radio/Video Browser | It's been a long time since I last heard of StreamTuner2 as an open-source Internet radio station and video browser, but a major update was released today.StreamTuner2 v2.2 is the new release of this browser that interfaces with the content from Shoutcast, Xiph.org, Internet-Radio.com, TuneIn.com, YouTube.com, Reddit Music, and other services for discovering Internet radio stations and video content. The updated StreamTuner2 v2.2 adds new plug-ins for RCast, Streema, vTuner2, LiveRadio.ie, RadioSure, House-Mixes, and Reciva. This release also now distributes Reddit and Record-stop as part of the distributed plug-ins.
StreamTuner2 via SourceForge.
The updated StreamTuner2 also has feature extension improvements, the first release with "thorough Windows support", updated documentation, extended plugin management, and more. Those wishing to learn more about StreamTuner2 v2.2 can visit the SourceForge project site |
Grandfather clock, mini-bike, dune buggy, electronics & tools stolen from property | News
Sheriff’s officials in Union County say a Creston man reported Saturday, that sometime between last Thursday evening and this past Saturday, someone entered his property and took several items. Among the items missing was a grandfather clock, a blue Yamaha 50cc mini bike, various pieces of stereo equipment including amps, subs, and a CD player, a variety of tools, including hammer, jack, jack stands and wrenches, and a blue 350cc dune buggy. Also damaged were doors and windows to the property. The loss was estimated value $6,150. |
Chapleau library not 'threatened' with recent cuts | CHAPLEAU -
The Township of Chapleau is cutting salary costs to bring library spending in line with other municipalities, according to Mayor Michael Levesque.
A Nov. 24 regular library board meeting agenda shows that the role of the CEO will be taken over by the township's CAO, with no change to the board's control of the Chapleau Public Library.
The move was motivated by costs, said Levesque on Monday.
“It's mainly financial. The position originally was $60,000, the CEO. We looked at how we could perhaps limit that expense, and we came up with that solution, where the CAO is the CEO of the library,” he explained.
Ten thousand from that $60,000 salary will stay in the budget.
“That's for additional hours so that we have more communication between working at the desk,” said Levesque.
The 2018 budget will see the municipality provide a $65,985 grant to the library. That's less than what it was in 2014 ($106,191). In 2015, that number was up to $110,454, and this year, the municipality provided a $118,495 grant.
“We looked at some of the figures. There's some comparative figures, and we found that the municipality was actually spending considerably more than other municipalities, so we wanted to bring it in line,” said Levesque.
“I can't remember the exact figures, but I know it was considerably less.”
The Chapleau mayor said library services and programs won't be affected by the salary cut.
“In fact, at the same time that we made this move, we've surveyed the community for their input as to, should the library be doing more, and in what areas. We're not threatening the existence of the library whatsoever,” said Levesque, who hasn't yet seen the results of the survey.
He said the library is well-used by some of the community's demographics.
“My office is right across from the library in the municipal building and I see that Monday brings in a certain crowd of people who come and get their books for the week. I know the computers are well-used. I think, in general, we could probably upgrade for further use.”
He'd like to see new demographics come in to use the library.
“We're not sure how to do that yet, we don't have the expertise to know yet, but we're hoping.”
Levesque will be looking to other models, like the library in Timmins.
“I'm amazed at...what it offers and how it functions,” he said.
“I've read that there's a good variety of programs available. We'd like to extend our programming, for example, to seniors at Cedar Grove, which is our seniors home, and bring in more school population, that sort of thing.”
Next year's library budget will allocate the same amount of spending on library books, periodicals, videos and e-resources as last year. The municipality will save on salaries, budgeting for $47,900 instead of $72,300.
Mayor Levesque said the library is an important and essential part of the community.
“We may have cut back on salaries, but we have no intention to cut back on services. It's a matter of bringing everything in line. As you know, we don't get as much money as we used to as municipalities, so we have to find other ways to manipulate the few dollars that we do get so that we survive,” he said. |
'Riverdale' star Lili Reinhart explains body dysmorphic disorder to critics | "Riverdale" star Lili Reinhart is trying to help her followers understand body dysmorphic disorder.
In a series of tweets, the actress wrote that she was upset by critics who have told her that she has no right to feel self-conscious about her appearance.
Reinhart responded by tweeting: "I’m either not curvy enough or not skinny enough to feel insecure."
"Feeling really disheartened by the fact that so many people are saying 'you’re skinny so shut up about embrscing [sic] your body.' As if my body dysmorphia is irrelevant because of how I look to some people," she tweeted. "Mental illness gets worse when people say that you don’t have a right to feel the way you do. That’s where we are dailing [sic]. Do not encourage this behavior. It is destructive. More destructive than you’ll ever realize. You may not understand someone’s insecurity- but respect it."
Feeling really disheartened by the fact that so many people are saying “you’re skinny so shut up about embrscing your body.” As if my body dysmorphia is irrelevant because of how I look to some people. I’m either not curvy enough or not skinny enough to feel insecure. — Lili Reinhart (@lilireinhart) July 4, 2018
Mental illness gets worse when people say that you don’t have a right to feel the way you do. That’s where we are dailing. Do not encourage this behavior. It is destructive. More destructive than you’ll ever realize. You may not understand someone’s insecurity- but respect it. — Lili Reinhart (@lilireinhart) July 4, 2018
Reinhart, 21, revealed her body dysmorphia in an April interview with Seventeen magazine, and she explained it was triggered by "really bad acne" that developed when she was in the seventh grade. According to the Mayo Clinic, body dysmorphic disorder is a condition in which a person "can't stop thinking about one or more perceived defects or flaws in your appearance — a flaw that, to others, is either minor or not observable."
However, discussion over Reinhart's appearance didn't stop there. In May, she fought back against body bullies who had analyzed a photo of her and wondered whether she was expecting a baby. "My body will consistently go through change. And so will yours," she wrote on Instagram at the time.
Earlier this week, after Harper's Bazaar published a quote from her in which she praised Marilyn Monroe's curves ("To me that’s really inspiring and makes me feel like my body can be accepted," she said), Reinhart slammed another Twitter user to questioned her for speaking out on the subject.
"Telling someone they don’t deserve to feel insecure because their body is 'fine' or 'just like' whomever.. is wrong. That’s part of the problem. That’s part of body shaming," she tweeted. "I hope this example helps show you a significant problem that’s going on today with young boys and girls. This is why people with mental health issues- depression, eating disorders, body dismirphia [sic]— sometimes don’t get the help they need because they’re shamed into being quiet."
Telling someone they don’t deserve to feel insecure because their body is “fine” or “just like” whomever.. is wrong. That’s part of the problem. That’s part of body shaming. — Lili Reinhart (@lilireinhart) July 3, 2018 |
The Latest: Contra Costa County DA quits over campaign cash | 4:14
Every American is vulnerable to the health impacts of climate change, federal report finds |
Veterinary Molecular Diagnostics Market to Reach a Value of US$ 792.5 Million by 2025 | According to a new report published by Transparency Market Research (TMR) titled “Veterinary Molecular Diagnostics Market: Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends, and Forecast, 2017–2025”, the global veterinary molecular diagnostics market was valued at US$ 377.2 Mn in 2016 and is projected to expand at a CAGR of 8.6% from 2017 to 2025 to reach value of US$ 792.5 Mn by 2025. This report offers a thorough understanding of the global veterinary molecular diagnostics market including key trends, drivers, restraints, and opportunities. Rising awareness about molecular diagnostics among veterinarians and general public in both developed and developing countries is expected to drive the global veterinary molecular diagnostics market in the near future. High test sensitivity and specificity and development of new products against new diseases in animals are also driving the global veterinary molecular diagnostics market. The Asia Pacific region is witnessing gradual adoption of new technologies in veterinary molecular diagnostics, increasing animal health care expenditure, and changing dynamics of the in vitro diagnostics industry. Due to this, the veterinary molecular diagnostics market in Asia Pacific is anticipated to expand at a CAGR of 9.2% from 2017 to 2025.
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The global veterinary molecular diagnostics market has been witnessing a significant shift from manual systems toward automated systems. Incidence of new diseases such as helminth parasitic diseases and protozoal parasitic diseases is rising. Development of better methods such as molecular diagnostics to detect and fight these diseases promptly is expected to drive the global veterinary molecular diagnostics market in the next few years. Factors indicating the growing importance of livestock diagnostics, medicines, and vaccines such as surging demand for improved nutrition (particularly, animal protein), limited natural resources, and widened focus on food safety are anticipated to boost the veterinary molecular diagnostics market during the forecast period.
Technological Advancements to drive Global Market
Veterinary molecular diagnostics offers several advantages over the conventional diagnostic techniques such as rapid turnaround time (2.5–3 hours), high test sensitivity and specificity, and better differentiation between avirulant and birulent strains. These added advantages are anticipated to drive the global veterinary molecular diagnostics market during the forecast period. Technological advancements in devices and reagents available for veterinary molecular diagnostics have enabled veterinarians to provide proper emergency assistance to patients. Improvement in the health care infrastructure, government campaigns, and increase in per capita income have raised awareness regarding the importance of preventive care and sophisticated diagnostic tools among veterinarians and general public. Pet owners are becoming more conscious about proper and timely diagnosis of disease suffered by their pets. This rise in awareness among the people in both developed and developing countries is expected to drive the global veterinary molecular diagnostics market in the next few years. Sophisticated molecular diagnostic instruments and assays are well-recognized and validated for proper testing. However, high costs associated with these systems and assays presents a significant challenge for the market.
Kits & Reagents Segment dominates the Market, followed by Instruments & Software Segment
The global veterinary molecular diagnostics market has been segmented based on product, technology, animal type, disease indication, end-user, and geography. Based on product, the global veterinary molecular diagnostics market has been segmented into instruments & software, kits & reagents, and services. The kits & reagents segment is expected to dominate the global veterinary molecular diagnostics market during the forecast period. This is attributable to the rising number of customized kits and reagents used in disease detection and health surveillance processes. Growing inclination toward preventive animal care and diagnosis is leading to high-volume processing, which augments the demand for high-throughput instruments and software.
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Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) to be the Most Promising Technology
Based on technology, the market has been segmented into polymerase chain reaction (PCR), microarrays, and DNA sequencing. The polymerase chain reaction (PCR) segment is anticipated to remain highly lucrative during the forecast period, owing to several advantages over the conventional detection methods; for example, quick and accurate results. In terms of animal type, the market has been segregated into companion animals and livestock animals. Based on disease indication, the market has been segmented into vector-borne diseases, respiratory pathogens detection, diarrhea pathogens detection, and others. Based on end-user, the market has been segmented into hospitals/clinics and reference laboratories.
Asia Pacific to offer Lucrative Growth Opportunities
Geographically, the global veterinary molecular diagnostics market has been segmented into five regions: North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, and Middle East & Africa. North America is projected to be the largest market for veterinary molecular diagnostics between 2017 and 2025. Growth of the market in the region can be attributed to increase in government and private funding and large volume of tests performed in the region. The Asia Pacific region is witnessing gradual adoption of new veterinary molecular diagnostics technologies, increase in health care expenditure, and change in dynamics of the in vitro diagnostics industry. High adoption of veterinary diagnostics drugs, vaccines, and medicated feed additives for the well-being of rapidly increasing population of livestock animals in the region makes Asia Pacific one of the most lucrative markets for veterinary molecular diagnostics.
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Key Players such as IDEXX Laboratories, Inc. and VCA, Inc. likely to continue to lead Global Veterinary Molecular Diagnostics Market
Major companies competing in the global veterinary molecular diagnostics market and profiled in the report are IDEXX Laboratories, Inc., VCA, Inc., Thermo Fisher Scientific, Inc., Novacyt Group, QIAGEN N.V., Biomedica Medizinprodukte GmbH & Co KG, HealthGene Corporation, and Bioneer. IDEXX Laboratories dominates the market due to high market penetration of its flagship products in the global veterinary molecular diagnostics market.
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China releases Australian mining exec Stern Hu from prison | The Tribune | A security official stands at the gate of the Qingpu Prison on the outskirts of Shanghai, China, Wednesday, July 4, 2018. China's foreign ministry says Stern Hu, a former executive of the mining giant Rio Tinto, was released from prison on Wednesday after serving a 10-year sentence in Shanghai after being convicted of accepting bribes and stealing trade secrets in 2010. Samuel McNeil AP Photo |
New mortgage approvals rise 14% in April | The number of mortgage approvals rose more than 14 per cent in the year to the end of April, new figures from Banking & Payments Federation Ireland (BPFI) show.
The value of mortgages was up almost 20 per cent in the year, and 10.4 per cent compared to March, the figures showed.
A total of 3,751 mortgages were approved in April, with almost half granted to first time buyers. Mover purchasers, meanwhile, accounted for 29 per cent of the monthly total.
But first-time buyer mortgage approval volumes were down 1.1 per cent over the year, with mover purchase approval volumes increasing by 15.4 per cent.
Residential investment letting mortgage approvals rose to 168 during April, a rise of 27.3 per cent in volume compared with the same month in 2017.
Meanwhile, consumers were hunting down better value, with re-mortgage and switching approvals rising 103.5 per cent in volume terms to 485.
In total, there were 3,031 purchase mortgage approvals worth €705 million in April 2018.
The figures showed the total value of mortgages approved in the month was around €842 million, with €400 million going to first-time buyers and €281 million to movers. Remortgaging and switchers were worth €116 million, while top-up approvals of €21 million represented a rise of 60.4 per cent year-on-year. Buy to lets totalled €25 million.
Rising property prices were reflected in the yearly figures, with the average home purchase approval up almost 6 per cent to €237,732.
First time buyers were approved for mortgages worth an average of €225,000, a rise of 7.7 per cent, with the average mover purchase approval at €258,533, an increase of 1.7 per cent year on year.
The figures came as the OECD warned of another potential property bubble amid rising house prices and rapid credit growth. |
Apple Inc. (AAPL) Tips its Hand on iPhone 8 Wireless Charging | There are always plenty of rumors flying around about Apple Inc.’s (NASDAQ: AAPL ) coming iPhone releases. Usually, these are based on information leaked from the AAPL supply chain, but on a very few occasions, Apple itself inadvertently tips its hand.
Source: Wireless Power Consortium
That appears to be the case with the iPhone 8. For several months, the 10th anniversary release has been rumored to feature wireless charging. Thanks to an AAPL move, that now seems like a lock.
AAPL Joins the Wireless Power Consortium
Business Insider broke the news that Apple has joined the Wireless Power Consortium (or WPC). WPC is an industry association that oversees Qi, the most widely used wireless charging technology. That puts AAPL in a group with over 220 other companies that are members, including smartphone rival Samsung Electronic (OTCMKTS: SSNLF ), whose Galaxy S7 supports Qi wireless charging.
Apple does already use Qi wireless charging for the Apple Watch, but the company tweaked its implementation so it’s not compatible with standard Qi chargers. And it never bothered to join WPC — until now. That move is a very strong indicator that AAPL is planning to incorporate Qi wireless charging on a larger scale, and that points to the iPhone 8.
Apple confirmed it had joined WPC (although the confirmation isn’t really necessary given that it’s now listed as a member on the organization’s website), but it did so by trying to minimize the implications. A company spokesperson told Business Insider:
“Apple is an active member of many standards development organizations, as both a leader and contributor. Apple is joining the Wireless Power Consortium to be able to participate and contribute ideas to the open, collaborative development of future wireless charging standards. We look forward to working together with the WPC and its members.”
What WPC Membership Means for iPhone 8 Wireless Charging
Despite AAPL’s attempt to position its move as business as usual, joining WPC is a strong indication that rumors about the iPhone 8 offering wireless charging have been on the mark. However, Qi isn’t the advanced, over-the-air wireless charging many people had been hoping AAPL would implement.
Instead, Qi — which has been in use since 2011– uses inductive charging. Rather than plugging an iPhone into a charger with a Lightning cable, it would be placed on a charge pad. So there’s still a recharger that requires physical contact, and that recharger is still plugged into the wall.
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BRIEF-Shenzhen MTC's 2016 net profit up 8.3 pct y/y | UPDATE 3-Nestle takes food price rises in its stride
ZURICH, Aug 9 Nestle expects pressure from the rising price of ingredients for its products such as chocolate bars, coffee and soup to ease, helping it meet its target for increasing sales despite tough markets. |
Coachella 2018: Were you one of the 452 who lost your ID? There’s a place to find them | A knee brace, blue inhaler and a black baseball glove were just a few of the 938 unclaimed items left behind during the second weekend of the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival.
That was the total on the festival’s lost and found section on its website. Other unclaimed items included 64 keys and another 70 were misplaced cell phones. The biggest number of lost items, a whopping 452, were credit and identification cards.
The website doesn’t show images of the cards but in an effort to help connect to its rightful owner, the initial of the first name and the last name are listed.
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On its website, Coachella asks concert goers to help them verify their lost possession by noting serial numbers, “engravings or anything unique that only you would know about this item.”
Someone had taken Justin Meng’s identification card on the first night of Weekend 2 while he was in the Sahara Tent.
“They took money and my ID but it’s OK because it was only $20,” said Meng, 21, of San Diego.
Meng was one of a dozen people at the lost and found pop-up near the one of the entrances of the festival to claim his identification. He said he was glad to be reunited with his card, especially since that saves him a trip to the DMV.
Under the computers and electronics category, there 27 unclaimed items including a blow dryer and a Go Pro as well as several walkie talkies and cell phone chargers.
A pair of worn down Nike shoes and black leather booties were the only two shoes unclaimed.
While most of the entries are accompanied with an image, some categories, like jewelry are a little more discreet, simply asking the concertgoer file a claim with a description of their lost item.
The last we checked there were no missing persons, or, animals, yes, those really are categories.
One of the categories with the most unclaimed items is sunglasses. A total of 77 shades were lost at the festival.
Madeleine Martin, 19, of San Francisco, was at the lost and found booth Sunday in the hope of finding her pair of Burberry sunglasses.
Martin, was volunteering at one of the booths this weekend, when she not only lost the designer brand sunglasses, but a blue Hydro Flask water bottle as well. Martin said she believes she lost them on the first day of the festival but hadn’t reported them missing because she thought that someone at the booth had just packed them up.
“I think someone just stole it, honestly,” she said, Sunday evening after leaving the lost and found.
Martin had gone to visit booth for the first time Sunday with no luck.
“It’s kind of sad but I did lose these Ray-Ban (sunglasses) in a bathroom in the campground and someone did turn them in,” she said.
Oh, if you went during the first weekend there are still 865 unclaimed items. For more details, visit www.coachella.com/guidebook/lostandfound.
See our photos from Coachella 2018: |
These are the Wirral roads being improved as part of £2.6m upgrade | Get daily updates directly to your inbox + Subscribe Thank you for subscribing! Could not subscribe, try again later Invalid Email
Dozens of Wirral roads and bridges are set for BIG improvements after the council announced it would allocate more than £2.5m to the cause.
It comes after the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority in February awarded £2,625,000 to Wirral council to improve its highways system for the 2018/19 year.
At a cabinet meeting on Monday (Mar 26), councillors are recommended to approve proposals for more than 150 roads to be upgraded including surface dressing and foot way works.
In a report to be considered by cabinet, it said like most highway authorities, the council’s roads network was “deteriorating”, and action was now needed to reduce spiralling costs in future.
Councillor Stuart Whittingham, cabinet member for highways and transport, said: “The quality of roads and highways is a big priority for residents, which of course puts it at the top of our agenda, too. Wirral residents expect to travel on a transport network which is safe, efficient and of a high quality.
“I believe that is exactly what we deliver and I am delighted that we are now in a position to go even further. Wirral has been awarded £2,625,000 to ensure our transport infrastructure is fit for the future – improving our roads and making sure Wirral residents benefit from a first rate highway network.
“This investment will help bring about further growth in our economy and ensure road users across Wirral continue to experience efficient and safer journeys on our networks.”
The funding allocation also includes £150,000 worth of works to bridges including Stanley Wood Footbridge and Storeton and Brimstage Road retaining wall.
There are more than 150 projects in total which can be viewed on the Wirral council website here.
Below, we have listed the 25 schemes estimated to cost the council more than £50,000, along with the wards they are in.
Works in Wirral West
Montgomery Hill, West Kirby and Thurstaston (approach to roundabout) - £52,311 - resurface carriageway using hot rolled asphalt
Woodchurch Road, Oxton/Prenton (490 Woodchurch Road to Carlaw Road) - £151,872 - resurface carriageway using hot rolled asphalt
Mill Hill Road (Heathbank Avenue to Hill Bark Road) - £56,592 - surface dressing (treatment to be decided after consultation with contractor)
Arrowe Brook Lane (Mill Lane to Arrowe Brook Road) - £75,256 - surface dressing (treatment to be decided after consultation with contractor)
Works in Wallasey
Kelvin Road, Seacombe (Wheatland Lane to Birkenhead Road) - £84,058 - resurface carriageway using hot rolled asphalt
Grove Road, Wallasey (Dean Avenue to Consiton Avenue) - £92,856 - resurface carriageway using hot rolled asphalt
Poulton Road, Seacombe (Illchester Road to Halville Road) - £100,356 - resurface carriageway using hot rolled asphalt
Kings Parade, Wallasey (roundabout junction with Coastal Drive) - £67,310 - resurface carriageway using hot rolled asphalt
Hoylake Road, Moreton West (Susan Grove to Ely Road) - £105,582 - resurface carriageway using hot rolled asphalt
King Street, Liscard - £132,738 - resurface carriageway using hot rolled asphalt
Mosslands Drive, Wallasey - £60,445 - micro asphalt surfance dressing
Works in Birkenhead
(Image: Google streetview)
Kings Lane/Old Chester Road, Rock Ferry/Bromborough (junction) - £75,949 - resurface carriageway using hot rolled asphalt
Wallasey Bridge Road, Bidston and St James (Beaufort Road to Bridge Deck) - £93,095 - resurface carriageway using hot rolled asphalt
New Chester Road/Green Lane, Birkenhead and Tranmere (roundabout) - £119,913 - resurface carriageway using hot rolled asphalt
Greenway Road, Prenton/Birkenhead and Tranmere (Dial Road to Mallory Road) - £52,921 - resurface carriageway using hot rolled asphalt
Wallasey Bridge Road, Bidston and St James (Poulton Bridge Road roundabout to Bridge Deck) - £97,706 - resurface carriageway using hot rolled asphalt
Town Link viaduct, Birkenhead and Tranmere - £103,350 - resurface carriageway using hot rolled asphalt
Beaufort Road/Corporation Road, Bidston and St James (Wallasey Bridge Road to Cavendish Street) - £124,280 - surface dressing (treatment to be decided after consultation with contractor)
Cleveland Street, Birkenhead and Tranmere (Duke Street to Argyle Street) - £104,000 - surface dressing (treatment to be decided after consultation with contractor)
Works in Wirral South
Church Road, Clatterbridge (Tudor Avenue to Stanton Road) - £73,379 - resurface carriageway using hot rolled asphalt
Spital Road, Bromborough - £159,663 - resurface carriageway using hot rolled asphalt
Irby Road, Heswall/ Pensby and Thingwall - £166,314 - resurface carriageway using hot rolled asphalt
(Image: Google streetview)
Chester Road, Heswall (Telegraph Road to Boathouse Lane) - £93,136 - surface dressing (treatment to be decided after consultation with contractor)
Barnston Road, Heswall (Telegraph Road to Storeton Lane) - £171,512 - surface dressing (treatment to be decided after consultation with contractor)
Mount Road (Red Hill Road to Brackenwood Road) -£74,880 - surface dressing (treatment to be decided after consultation with contractor) |
Göteborg: Iceland’s Ísold Uggadóttir Talks ‘And Breathing Normally’ | GOTEBORG, Sweden — After winning the Directing Award in the World Cinema Dramatic section of the Sundance Festival, Icelandic director Ísold Uggadóttir’s feature debut “And Breathing Normally” will now compete for the Dragon Award for best Nordic film, which carries a cash-prize of SEK 1 million ($125,000), at Sweden’s 41st Göteborg Intl. Film Festival.
Also scripted by Uggadóttir, “And Breathing Normally” was produced by Skúli Fr Malmquist for Iceland’s Zik Zak Filmworks, with Swedish and Belgian co-producers, and is being handled internationally by Germany’s The Match Factory.
Although it wasn’t her first time at Sundance – her 2005 short “Family Reunion” also screened there – Ungadóttir especially enjoyed her more recent trip to the Rockies. “There, surrounded by such immense talent, I dared not even think about awards, but now I and my team couldn’t be more thrilled,” she told Variety.
Starring Kristín Thóra Haraldsdóttir and Babetida Sadjo, the film tells the story of the intimate bond between two women, both trying to get their lives back on track – an Icelandic mother and a refugee from Guinea-Bissau, whose lives briefly intersect in Iceland as the result of unforeseen circumstances.
Related Göteborg: Festival’s Nostradamus Report Asks if Current European Film Industry Can Survive Göteborg: Film i Väst’s New Production Head Peter Possne on Making Big Films, Spending More Money on Them
While attending New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts, Uggadóttir got her first taste of editing, which she still describes today as: “one of the most exciting areas of the filmmaking process.” It’s also where she got her first job in cinema, editing for documentary films.
“I find myself drawn to telling stories of women, often minorities or underdogs, and I am particularly interested in fictional narratives imbued with a sense of social-realism – sexuality, trust, addiction, economic collapse,” Uggadóttir said. The rest of the conversation below:
How did you get interested in filmmaking?
I was always interested. As a teenager I would avidly document everything around me, trying to make video art with the family’s Super8 camera. With no editing equipment, I would often play dramatic classical music during recordings to emphasize the emotion I was attempting to create.
When I was 20, there was no film school in Iceland, but an evening course made me absolutely ecstatic about cinema. Soon after, I discovered directors such as Mike Leigh and Todd Solondz, with ”Secrets and Lies” and ”Happiness” becoming early favorites; I also learned about Andrea Arnold, whom I still look to for inspiration.
I left Reykjavik for New York City and began studying Interactive Telecommunications. I opted for a program that allowed me to create digital and visual work. This took me into the editing room. This was where everything came together, this was where stories took their final shape.
And how did you get into the industry?
I eventually found a job editing documentary films – working nights, I spent the days at local bookstores browsing through every filmmaking book I could find. I had an insatiable appetite for everything and anything filmmaking related, and soon knew that I had to make one of my own. This was “Family Reunion,” a short shot in Iceland and New York in 2005, inspired by some of my own life experiences.
The film was selected for the Sundance Film Festival, which was a real turning point. Less than a year later, I was directing my second short, ”Committed,” which won the Icelandic Academy Awards. At last I knew that film directing would become my profession, so I went through the master’s program at the Columbia Film School, before returning to Iceland to begin writing and funding my first feature.
How did “And Breathe Normally” come about?
While developing a story of an Icelandic woman struggling to make ends meet, I became a volunteer at the Icelandic Red Cross, where I met a woman from Uganda who was not only struggling financially, but battling the system to be given asylum on grounds of her sexuality. We became friends, and I was enraged and disturbed at what she told me.
Finally, I wanted to bring together two very different female characters , exploring how they would and could influence the lives of one another, and possibly form an unlikely bond, also shedding light on the dire circumstances of asylum seekers in Iceland. We shot the film on Iceland’s Reykjanes peninsula in 2016, with an international crew of Icelanders, Swedes, Poles, Belgians and immigrant first-time actors. |
Community urged to look out for distressed seabirds during breeding season | With nesting season underway, Sea Life Park is urging the public to be aware of young native seabirds.
The park operates a seabird rehabilitation facility, and says it is already beginning to take in chicks that are in need of care.
Wildlife experts say federally protected wedge-tailed and Newell’s shearwater chicks can be particularly vulnerable, with October, November,and December among the most challenging months.
“These birds are fledglings. They’re learning how to fly,” said Jeff Pawloski, Sea Life Park curator. “They get up into the air at night, because they’re nighttime birds, and they get distracted by the lights, and they end up landing in places they didn’t intend to land.
“The neat thing about them is they are celestial navigators. They rely on the stars,” Pawloski continued, “so street lights and lights in all sorts of areas are really distracting, so they end up getting tired, landing who knows where, a backyard or in a parking lot, and that’s the critical point.”
On Kauai, night games for high school football have been prohibited during fledgling season for years. Games were moved from Friday nights to Saturday afternoons over concerns the field lights were attracting endangered seabirds. (This year, the county worked out a solution with wildlife officials to play four games at night.)
On Oahu, Sea Life Park says the community can help by learning the key signs to look for in a distressed seabird, and bringing any that are in need of care to its Seabird Rehabilitation Facility. It is also important not to intervene unless it is clear that the bird requires assistance.
Here are some guidelines:
If the bird is a hatchling (no feathers) or a nestling (fuzzy, few feathers) and shows no signs of injuries, it is best for the bird to be left alone. It will probably return to its nest. The bird may not have been abandoned, and its mother may be nearby.
A fledgling (with most of its feathers) is often seen on the ground near bushes or tall grass. It leaves the nest as part of the weaning process and may hop out to test its wings. Usually, the mother remains in the area watching over it. If the mother is seen, it’s best to leave the bird alone.
If a fledgling does not appear to have its mother nearby, or the bird has apparent injuries such as a bent wing, or is in an unsafe situation (i.e. a predator such as a dog or cat is lurking nearby), these temporary care instructions should be followed: Pick the bird up from behind, wrapping a cloth around back and wings Find a medium/large-sized box and pale a folded towel at the bottom Ensure there are holes in the box big enough for airflow Place the bird in the box and keep in a dark, quiet place Keep the bird warm Please don’t feed or leave a dish of water for the bird Don’t handle it, and keep children and pets away
The Sea Life Park Seabird Rehabilitation Facility cares for and releases several hundred birds each season. Those that are unable to be released are provided a home at the park’s Seabird Sanctuary. While October and November are particularly vulnerable months for native shearwaters, the facility is open year-round to assist distressed seabirds.
Drop-off stations have also been established at the Division of Forestry and Wildlife (DOFAW) office in Kailua, Feather and Fur Animal Hospital also in Kailua, Hawaiian Humane Society in Honolulu and the James Campbell National Wildlife Refuge near Kahuku. These stations provide safe spaces around the island where birds can be dropped off if the rescuer is unable to get directly to Sea Life Park. |
Save $100 On Amazon's Touchscreen-Equipped Echo Show | Photo: Gizmodo
If you missed the one-day Echo sales last week, Amazon’s once again taking $100 off the Echo Show today, bringing it $20 below its previous all-time low. You can read Gizmodo’s review if you want to learn more, but it turns out Alexa would have benefitted from a visual component all along |
Moncure shooting suspect arrested in Chapel Hill | You must enter the characters with black color that stand out from the other characters
Message: * A friend wanted you to see this item from WRAL.com: http://wr.al/17M73
— The man wanted in a Moncure shooting that injured another man was arrested early Wednesday morning in Chapel Hill after a lengthy manhunt.
Angel Soto, 28, was taken into custody just before 2 a.m. at the Pine Gate apartment complex, according to the Chatham County Sheriff's Office.
Kassidy Lowe was with Soto when he was arrested, and authorities said she will be questioned.
Authorities on Tuesday asked for the public's help in finding Soto after responding to a shooting in the 1100 block of Charlie Brooks Road in Moncure. Deputies found a man with a gunshot wound, who was later taken to the hospital.
The sheriff's office said Soto and Lowe left the scene of the shooting before law enforcement arrived. Authorities did not comment on the relationship between the two.
"We know they were all acquaintances, so this wasn't a stranger issue. We are concerned anytime someone's out there that feels the need to shoot someone else, so that's a big concern for us," he said. "We want to make sure that everyone involved is okay." |
Eagles' division-clinching victory comes at a cost | LOS ANGELES -- "Yeeeeaaahhhhhh!" Brent Celek screamed as he stood on the 20-yard-line at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on Sunday evening, his triumphant howl marking the end of the Philadelphia Eagles' nine-day West Coast odyssey. The 32-year-old tight end's eyes were ablaze with emotion as he celebrated a come-from-behind, 43-35 victory over the Los Angeles Rams that clinched the NFC East and vaulted his team back to the top of the NFC playoff chase.
It was pure joy -- except, of course, it wasn't.
Philly's 11th win in 13 games was its most impressive to date, but it came with a stomach-churning caveat: second-year quarterback Carson Wentz, whose prolific play in 2017 has pushed him into the MVP conversation, exited the game after suffering a third-quarter injury to his left knee that the Eagles fear is a torn ACL. And when Celek, nearly an hour after the game's cheerful conclusion, walked up the tunnel leading out of the stadium and headed toward the team buses, his mood was far more muted, and he was mindful of the challenge he and his teammates are likely to confront in the weeks to come.
For as it turned out, the Eagles' long-awaited signature victory coincided with a torturous twist that will cause many people to write them off.
"Well, we got that epic win," Celek said, shaking his head. "And our quarterback went down. That's life. We've all got to step up. We lost (All-Pro left tackle) Jason Peters, and we kept winning. We lost (veteran running back) Darren Sproles and (young middle linebacker) Jordan Hicks, and we fought through it. And if we don't have Carson, we've all got to be just as good as we were today -- if not better -- to pick up the slack. We've all got to elevate our play."
It's a compelling clarion call, but it appears to be a highly ambitious one, even in the wake of the Eagles' spirited resilience against their NFC West-leading foes. In a highly anticipated showdown between the emerging quarterbacks who went 1-2 in the 2016 NFL Draft, it was unsung veteran Nick Foles who threw the pivotal passes in crunch time. And Foles got a major assist from a fellow former Ram, veteran defensive end Chris Long, whose strip sack of Jared Goff with 8:13 remaining (recovered, naturally, by another ex-Rams player, safety Rodney McLeod) set up Jake Elliott's 33-yard field goal that put Philly ahead for good.
When defensive end Brandon Graham snatched Tavon Austin's last-gasp lateral and rambled 16 yards for a touchdown with no time remaining, it was time for the Eagles -- and a sizable portion of the Coliseum crowd of 67,752 -- to party like it was 2013. That was the year that Foles, during his first stint in Philly, threw 27 touchdowns and only two interceptions in leading the Eagles to their last division title and playoff appearance, under then-rookie coach Chip Kelly.
Now the catalyst behind this Philly team's surprising rise to the top of the conference appears to have taken his final snap of 2017. And Celek, of all people, understands just how daunting Wentz's absence may turn out to be.
On Saturday, as he sat in the lobby bar of the Eagles' team hotel, Celek was asked if he'd seen the Eagles' success coming in the wake of a 7-9 season in 2016.
"Not really," he admitted. "I mean, I felt like we'd gotten better. But the biggest reason, by far? It's Carson. He's a monster. He's doing things that are ridiculous. And when he's on, we feel like our offense can't be stopped."
The Eagles had in fact been felled the previous Sunday night in Seattle, losing a 24-10 slugfest to the Seahawks that ended Philly's nine-game winning streak. They spent the next week in Orange County quietly seething as they prepared for a Rams team that had already secured its first winning season since 2003.
They started ignominiously, with Wentz (23 for 41, 291 yards) throwing an interception to cornerback Kayvon Webster -- who would later leave the game with a season-ending torn Achilles tendon -- on the game's third play from scrimmage. Three plays later, Rams running back Todd Gurley (13 carries, 96 yards; three receptions, 39 yards) scored the first of his two touchdowns, giving L.A. a 7-0 lead.
Then Wentz got hot, throwing scoring passes to tight ends Celek (five yards) and Trey Burton (20 yards, 11 yards) on three consecutive possessions to put the Eagles up 21-7. However, Goff (16 of 26, 199 yards) countered with touchdown throws to receivers Cooper Kupp (five catches, 118 yards) and Sammy Watkins to cut the lead to 24-21, and L.A. went ahead 28-24 after Blake Countess scooped up teammate Michael Thomas' blocked punt and ran 16 yards to the end zone with 10:07 left in the third quarter.
Had that been the Eagles' lowest moment, this would have been a sublime Sunday. Alas, with four minutes left in the third quarter, Philly's fortunes got much, much, much worse.
On first-and-goal from the 2, Wentz took a shotgun snap, scrambled to his right and dove for the end zone, getting sandwiched between defensive end Morgan Fox and linebacker Mark Barron as he crossed the goal line, with his knee absorbing the bulk of the force. The touchdown was nullified by a holding penalty on right tackle Lane Johnson, and Wentz stayed in the game for a pair of handoffs before summoning what was likely one final burst of brilliance in a tremendous season.
On fourth-and-goal from the 2, Wentz took a shotgun snap, pumped and stood firm as outside linebacker Matt Longacre collapsed the pocket. At the last instant he zipped a pass that barely evaded the right hand of Eagles wideout Nelson Agholor and, just before hitting the ground, was expertly plucked out of the air by Philly receiver Alshon Jeffery just inches away from the fingertips of safety Lamarcus Joyner.
It was Wentz's fourth touchdown pass of the game and 33rd of 2017, an Eagles single-season record. And then, suddenly, he was walking gingerly to the locker room with a towel over his head, his knee seemingly unstable, his hand covering his eyes as he strode through the end zone tunnel.
When Gurley bulled in from a yard out with 13:58 remaining in the game, with the extra point staking the Rams to a 35-31 lead, the Eagles could have wilted without their leader. Instead, they regrouped and rallied around Foles (6 of 10, 42 yards), who engineered drives that led to Elliott field goals on each of Philly's next two possessions.
The second was set up by Long's strip sack, evoking memories of the huge plays made by his Hall of Fame father, Howie, in this same stadium for the Raiders back in the day.
"We knew we had to make a play, no matter what, because we hadn't been making a whole lot of plays on defense," Long said. "Doug (Pederson, the Eagles' second-year head coach) does a good job of keeping everybody even-keeled, and our team handles these situations really well. A lot of things went wrong for us, but we were really resilient."
Defensive tackle Fletcher Cox, who continued an All-Pro-caliber season with another stellar effort Sunday, agreed: "We knew the defense had to go out and win the game, and that it was our time."
Pederson, too, did his share of tone-setting: With six minutes remaining, Elliott booted a 54-yard field goal to give the Eagles an apparent 37-35 lead, but Aaron Donald was whistled for a launching penalty, a 15-yard personal foul. Pederson took the penalty -- and took points off the board. Though the ultimate outcome was the same, with Elliott converting a 33-yard field goal with 3:45 remaining, Pederson's bold call bled the clock and sent a message to his players.
"I wanted the touchdown," Pederson said as he left the stadium. "I wanted to stay aggressive, and show that aggressiveness to our team -- to show them that we were still going after it. And Nick was great. To get thrown in like that and battle and do what he did, it's unbelievable."
After the Eagles forced a Rams three-and-out, Pederson remained aggressive, calling a pass on third-and-8 from his own 23, and watching Foles zip a nine-yard completion to Agholor that all but clinched the game.
That left the Rams (9-4) a game ahead of the Seahawks (8-5) in the NFC West, and in a precarious position: L.A. lost its first meeting with Seattle, and the rematch is this Sunday at CenturyLink Field.
"It's a must-win," Goff declared Sunday night. "It's a big one."
Goff wasn't in the best mood, but he also knew he had emerged from Sunday's showdown in better shape than his friend and rival. Wentz, who didn't speak to reporters, emerged from the locker room wearing an NFC East champions cap, a black long-sleeved shirt, black shorts and a black brace on his left knee on this Black Sunday.
After loading up a plate of Mexican food, Wentz boarded the back of a cart that drove him up the tunnel and beyond a chain-link fence that shielded the Eagles' buses from the masses. Facing backward, Wentz checked his phone as he exited the stadium while being trailed by a slew of reporters and camera crews, doing his best to tune out the drama. After entering a secure area, he boarded Bus #1 and began a long trip back to Philly, where on Monday he was scheduled for an MRI that should reveal the extent of his injury.
Ten minutes later, Foles came out of the visitors' locker room smiling. He exchanged warm greetings with some of his former Rams teammates, and other staff members, as he made his way out of the stadium.
"I'm ready to roll," he said.
He'd better be. Meanwhile, Celek and the rest of the Eagles insist they're not ready to roll over, even after a gut punch that took the air out of their division-clinching celebration.
Follow Michael Silver on Twitter @mikesilver. |
UPDATE 1-Ivory Coast, Ghana to work together to tackle cocoa price volatility | (Adds quotes, details)
ABIDJAN, April 12 Ivory Coast and Ghana, the world's top cocoa producers, said on Wednesday they would deepen collaboration and coordinate their production strategies in order to tackle price volatility.
The two countries, which together account for over 60 percent of the world's cocoa supply, have been hit hard this season by a sharp drop in world prices that have seen cocoa futures plummet by around a third since last summer.
That has aggravated the countries' respective budget deficits and forced Ivory Coast to lower the price it guarantees for farmers.
"It's become imperative that our countries take decisions on points concerning production and sustainability and on points concerning the prickly question of the volatility of prices," the head of Ivory Coast's Coffee and Cocoa Council, Massandje Toure-Litse, told reporters.
She was speaking after a meeting with her counterpart Joseph Boahen Aidoo, CEO of Ghana Cocoa Board (Cocobod), in Ivory Coast's commercial capital, Abidjan.
"We have very, very strong involvement at the highest summit of the state. The two heads of state have given very firm instructions," Toure-Litse said.
"Henceforth the world cocoa leaders speak with one voice everywhere and at all times."
The two countries plan to hold regular meetings. They are also establishing a joint technical committee to discuss how best to coordinate their production strategies and ensure that prices are high enough for farmers to keep producing cocoa. (Reporting by Ange Aboa; Writing by Joe Bavier; Editing by Susan Fenton) |
How to make Alexa do your bidding with new custom apps | (CNN Money) — Amazon has given me a precious gift: infinite new ways to troll my family and house guests with Alexa.
On Thursday, the company released a set of DIY apps for the voice-assistant that anyone can make. They let you create helpful and entertaining voice commands and replies customized for your family. Called Alexa Blueprints, the templates are a dead-simple way to make Alexa do your bidding.
I’ve spent the past day making and testing my own Alexa apps.
You can create custom question and answers (“Q: Alexa, who should cook dinner tonight?” A: “Not you my queen, go rest and watch Netflix.”) load it with dirty jokes, or write interactive stories. There’s fun games for couples or kids, and trivia about a bride-to-be to play at the worst bachelorette party ever.
If you need a self-esteem boost, type in your own compliments and Alexa will recite them on request. Its default compliments are nice enough, but some sound like bad pick-up lines (“Is that your picture next to charming in the dictionary?”).
For the most part, you’re just deciding what words Alexa will say out loud in that signature Alexa voice. At them moment, there’s no way to link the actions to other outside apps or information, like songs or a smart light.
The story templates are the most enjoyable. Write any yarn you want, and include fun noises, exclamations from Alexa (“Cheerio!” “Yuck!”), and words chosen by the listener before the story starts.
Naturally, I created a Mad Lib about an escaped zoo animal who needs help finding her lost valuables, but is thwarted by George Clooney.
Related: ‘Alexa, play my kid a podcast.’ Parents look for screen-time alternatives
The more practical Blueprints are clever, but I don’t see them being more useful than a sheet of paper. If someone is watching your child/dog/house, they can ask Alexa for information like an emergency contact, allergies, and daily schedules. You can add your own questions like “How do I scratch Fido’s belly?” and answers such as “Gently, with your left hand in counter-clockwise circles.”
Having control over everything Alexa says is especially helpful when it comes to dealing with people who think it is a real person. Like children.
Kids will sometimes respond to the authority of a third-party more readily than they would their own parents. You can have Alexa tell them to do chores, stop fighting, or go to bed.
Child-rearing experts I spoke to recently warned against outsourcing your authority to a voice assistant, but once or twice probably won’t ruin them. I set up a Blueprint question to instruct one child to apologize to the other. It worked once, but I expect they’ll catch on eventually.
While fun, the new tools still have the usual Alexa frustrations. For example, it repeatedly misheard the name “Seth” as “South,” ruining a perfectly mediocre joke about my colleague, Seth Fiegerman.
To try your own apps, go to blueprints.amazon.com and pick a template. Most are pre-filled with suggested text. You can alter it or replace it entirely. For example, open the Burns template to see a list of insults like “You are a pizza burn on the roof of the world’s mouth.” Select the text and replace with better insults, customized to your housemate’s deepest insecurities.
Once you’re happy with the Blueprint, name it and save it. It will take a couple minutes to upload. Then you say “Alexa, open [name of app]” or “Alexa, [your custom question]” to get started. They will only be accessible from your own Alexa-enabled device, so any personal information you include is for your ears only. |
Live Action Tokyo Ghoul “At Least Better Than GitS” | An extended look at Tokyo Ghoul‘s live action film has built anticipation even higher with its surplus of drama and action, though many are curious as to whether or not the film will include the “blasphemous” scene that was unveiled some time ago in the manga…
The drama-laden English-subtitled trailer:
Westerners will apparently be blessed with the opportunity of seeing the movie first on July 3rd at Anime Expo, followed by a run in Berlin on July 7th, a run at the Marunouchi Piccadilly theater in Chiyoda on July 10th and then a Japan-wide debut on July 29th. |
Earth Day of Service at Washington Park | Event time: 9am-12pm
It's a working celebration of the Earth! Bring your friends and spend a morning helping in our park followed by a community lunch. Meet new people and have fun helping the Earth!
Price: Free |
Netflix set to raise prices for UK users | For the first time in two years online streaming giant, Netflix, has raised its monthly subscription prices for UK customers.
The monthly cost of a basic will remain at £5.99, however, standard and premium membership prices are set to rise.
Standard membership will jump from £7.49 to £7.99 a month, and Premium membership set to rise from £8.99 to £9.99 for users.
New subscribers to Netflix will immediately pay the new rates whereas existing customers will see price increases from 19 October and be given 30 days notice of the change
New content for 2018
The online streaming service, which currently has 104 million subscribers globally, will also be raising rates for the US, France and Germany this year.
Netflix have released a statement regarding the price hikes:
“From time to time, Netflix plans and pricing are adjusted as we add more exclusive TV shows and movies, introduce new product features and improve the overall Netflix experience to help members find something great to watch even faster.”
Netflix is set to provide more original content in 2018 and already has a budget of $6 billion for new productions.
The new money generated from the subscription price rises is expected to contribute towards the production of new original content. |
BRIEF-Emperia Holding unit Stokrotka March revenue from sales of goods up by about 1.6 pct yoy | UPDATE 3-Nestle takes food price rises in its stride
ZURICH, Aug 9 Nestle expects pressure from the rising price of ingredients for its products such as chocolate bars, coffee and soup to ease, helping it meet its target for increasing sales despite tough markets. |
Rapper Meek Mill released from prison | It was announced Tuesday that rapper Meek Mill would be released from prison, after having been sentenced late last year to serve two to four years for probation violations, stemming from a decade-old case. Philadelphia 76ers co-owner and close friend of Mill's, Michael Rubin, was the first to announce the news on Instagram. Mill's lawyer later confirmed the news."@meekmill is FREE!!! Just left visiting Meek with @kevinhart4real and I'm on the way back to pick him up as we speak!" Rubin wrote Tuesday afternoon.Just hours after his release, the rapper, who hails from Philadelphia, was photographed at the 76ers home game against the Miami Heat.The 30-year-old rapper had been serving time for violating probation, which notables like Kevin Hart and Jay-Z have spoken out against, calling the ruling to jail Mill unjust and part of a larger racial issue. According to The Associated Press, Mill had been on probation for nearly a decade in a drug and gun case that occurred when he was 19.Mill's lawyer Joe Tacopina also confirmed the release to ABC News in a statement that read, "We are thrilled that the Pennsylvania Supreme Court has directed Judge [Genece] Brinkley to immediately issue an order releasing Meek on bail. As we have said all along, Meek was unjustly convicted and should not have spent a single day in jail."Tacopina continued, "Meek is excited to be reunited with his family, and we, along with Meek, intend to continue to shine the light on a justice system in need of reform to prevent any other citizen from being put through what Meek has endured."Mill himself also posted to various social media accounts, clearly excited about the prospects of coming home and thanking those who had helped the rapper obtain his release."I'd like to thank God, my family, my friends, my attorneys, my team at Roc Nation including Jay Z ... my good friend Michael Rubin, my fans, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court and all my public advocates for their love, support and encouragement during this difficult time," he wrote. "While the past five months have been a nightmare, the prayers, visits, calls, letter and rallies have helped me stay positive. To the Philadelphia District Attorney's office, I'm grateful for your commitment to justice -- not only for my case, but for others that have been wrongfully jailed due to police misconduct.""Although I'm blessed to have the resources to fight this unjust situation, I understand that many people of color across the country don't have that luxury and I plan to use my platform to shine a light on those issues," Mill concluded. "In the meantime, I plan to work closely with my legal team to overturn this unwarranted conviction and look forward to reuniting with my family and resuming my music career."After the ruling to jail Mill his past November, hundreds of protesters gathered outside Philadelphia's Criminal Justice Center to call for Mill's prison sentence on probation violations to be overturned.Rapper Rick Ross and Philadelphia 76ers legend Julius Erving spoke at the event. Jay-Z also penned an opinion piece for the New York Times, titled "The Criminal Justice System Stalks Black People Like Meek Mill." |
Texas mom dies trying to save son from giant wave | A body found near a beach in Texas was identified Tuesday as a mom who had tried saving her young son from a giant wave.
Brandy Mosley’s son was playing in the sand near the water and wearing water wings when he was swept up by the wave at Crystal Beach in Galveston on Monday, friends said. Mosley and a relative reportedly went to grab him.
Related Image Expand / Collapse
The son and the relative made it back to shore but when they turned around Mosley was gone, according to witnesses.
Rescue planes searched for hours. Relatives rushed in from Houston and the Dallas area, Fox 26 reported.
On Tuesday a body turned up near the Gulf Port Village subdivision in Crystal Beach, two miles from where Mosley was last seen.
The Galveston County Sheriff’s Office confirmed a tattoo on the body matched the description of one Mosley had.
MISSING WOMAN FOUND ALIVE 5 DAYS AFTER CAR ACCIDENT
Beaches on the Bolivar Peninsula do not have lifeguards and residents say visitors are unaware of dangerous riptides, according to the New York Daily News.
Mosley owned B’s Hive of Therapy Day Spa in Palestine, Texas.
Click for more from Fox 4 Beaumont. |
India to host Afghanistan in their first ever Test match | New Delhi: Continuing to build on its commitment to the development of cricket in Afghanistan, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on Monday agreed to host the first-ever Test match between the two sides.
"Afghans were scheduled to play their first Test in 2019 versus Australia but considering the historic relationship between India and Afghanistan, we decided to host their first Test," said BCCI acting secretary Amitabh Choudhary after the Special General Meeting in Delhi.
Afghanistan and Ireland were confirmed as 'Full Member' teams by the International Cricket Council (ICC) in June this year, thereby granting them the Test status. They are the 11th and 12th nations respectively in the list.
One of Afghanistan's leading cricketers, Mohammad Nabi, thanked BCCI for their support and said that they hope to play their first Test match against India.
Despite unfavorable conditions, the national cricket team from the war-ravaged country has made rapid strides in the international stage.
Rashid Khan and Mohammed Nabi became the first two Afghanistan cricketers to be bought at the Indian Premier League auction earlier this year. Leg-spinner Rahid, in fact, has already established himself as a global star.
It's worth noting that the Afghanistan had shifted their home base from Sharjah to the UPCA stadium in Noida, after the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the BCCI and the stadium. |
Russia denies intelligence contacts with Trump campaign team | 1:32 Press Secretary says press should focus more on leaks than Flynn's resignation Pause
0:49 White House is 'keeping a close eye' on crisis at California's Oroville dam
1:26 Who's at the door? Principal visiting homes of each of her 1,003 students
1:53 French officials: Louvre attack was 'terrorist in nature'
2:23 One arrest as protesters block DeVos from D.C. middle school
0:18 Trump calls election rival Evan McMullin 'McMuffin' at rally
3:07 So what can Trump actually do in his first 100 days?
2:01 Hollywood's greatest trick: teaser
2:19 Warren: Shocked to find 'truth was out of order' on the Senate floor |
Kyle Lowry scores 41 as Toronto Raptors hold off LA Lakers | Apart from his 41 points, Kyle Lowry had nine rebounds and seven assists against LA Lakers. (Source: AP) Apart from his 41 points, Kyle Lowry had nine rebounds and seven assists against LA Lakers. (Source: AP)
Kyle Lowry relishes any chance to raise his offensive game in the fourth quarter and the Toronto Raptors needed just about every one of his big baskets to hold off the Los Angeles Lakers.
Lowry scored 20 of his season-high 41 points in the fourth as the Raptors stopped a two-game losing streak with a 123-114 victory Sunday night.
He went 5 for 6 and hit three of his six 3-pointers in the fourth quarter. With one high-difficulty shot after another, the diminutive guard kept the Raptors on top in the face of the Lakers’ persistent rally.
“It was my time to go out there and be more aggressive,” said Lowry, who finished two points shy of his career high. “If it’s taking the extra shot or making more shots or creating more shots, it’s just a chance to go out there and play basketball. Playing in the fourth quarter is really fun.”
Lowry also had nine rebounds and seven assists, while DeMar DeRozan scored 31 points in another big game in his hometown. The Atlantic Division-leading Raptors’ two scoring stars got them back in winning form on the fifth stop of their six-game road trip.
“He could have had more,” DeRozan said of Lowry’s fourth-quarter dominance. “The fourth quarter has got to be ours on both ends. We’ve got to put our mark on it.”
Toronto got its fourth straight win over the Lakers, sweeping the season series for the second straight year.
Nick Young hit seven 3-pointers and scored 26 points for the Lakers, who emerged from a miserable December with their 15th loss in 17 games despite a stirring late surge.
“That’s a good team,” Lakers coach Luke Walton said of the Raptors. “They have some All-Star Olympians that really carried the load for them. (Lowry) had it cooking.”
D’Angelo Russell hit four of his six 3-pointers and scored 14 of his 28 points in the final period. The Lakers trimmed a 19-point deficit to six, but Lowry and Terrence Ross hit big shots down the stretch to keep Toronto comfortably ahead.
“I think the effort is there,” Young said. “We’re showing it. We have to limit the six-minute breakdowns we go through.” |
Factbox: Careers of U.S., North Korean negotiators Pompeo and Kim Yong Chol | (Reuters) - The United States and North Korea are worlds apart in economic, political and cultural ways, but the two officials meeting in New York to explore a possible historic summit both have military backgrounds and are known as political hard-liners.
U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo testifies that North Korea has not responded in recent days to queries by the United States to prepare logistics for an upcoming summit during his appearance at a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington, U.S., May 24, 2018. REUTERS/Toya Sarno Jordan/File Photo
The following are some facts about U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and North Korean senior official Kim Yong Chol:
MIKE POMPEO
Pompeo, U.S. President Donald Trump’s first CIA director, became his second secretary of state on April 26, replacing the fired Rex Tillerson.
A former Republican congressman from Kansas, Pompeo made his reputation in the U.S. House of Representatives as a hard-right “Tea Party” conservative with hawkish world views. He is now a Trump loyalist and close adviser to the president.
Asia experts have debated whether Pompeo, 54, with his Trump-style partisanship, will help foster or hinder this year’s overtures between Washington and Pyongyang. He has said North Korea was just months away from being able to fire a nuclear-tipped missile that could reach the United States.
On other fronts, the former U.S. Army officer and Harvard Law School graduate has been known to play down U.S. intelligence agency conclusions of Russian meddling in the 2016 U.S. presidential election, which Moscow denies.
Meanwhile, according to some U.S. officials, he has chosen to stress Iran’s missile development and role in Middle East conflicts instead of its adherence to the 2015 international nuclear deal.
North Korean envoy Kim Yong Chol arrives at a hotel in New York, U.S., May 30, 2018. REUTERS/Lucas Jackson
Pompeo made back-to-back trips to North Korea in April and May to meet with leader Kim Jong Un as prospects grew for a summit with Trump.
He returned to the United States from the May trip with three American prisoners who had been freed by Pyongyang in a gesture aimed at paving the way for a summit.
KIM YONG CHOL
He is a four-star general who is vice chairman of the ruling Workers’ Party’s Central Committee and a close aide to Kim Jong Un. As director of the United Front Department, he steers Pyongyang’s relations with South Korea.
Kim Yong Chol, thought to be about 72-years-old, was accused by Seoul of planning deadly attacks on a South Korean navy ship and an island in 2010. He was also linked by U.S. intelligence to a cyber attack on Sony Pictures in 2014.
North Korea denied involvement in both incidents.
More recently, however, he has played a role in the easing of relations between the two Koreas and with the United States following months of belligerent rhetoric between Trump and leader Kim.
Kim Yong Chol played a role, along with South Korean intelligence chief Suh Hoon, in arranging a surprise meeting in April between Pompeo and Kim Jong Un in North Korea. |
Susie Burrell: Why doughnuts are so bad for you | For many years fat was known as the number one diet enemy. In more recent years it has been sugar that has been demonised as the devil when it comes to Western society's burgeoning obesity epidemic. But there is actually one thing worse than either fat or sugar — that's fat and refined carbohydrates combined.
And it's a mix that is found in many of our most popular foods including ice cream, chocolate, cakes and yes — doughnuts.
Brain analysis has repeatedly identified that a number of brain centres are stimulated when concentrated mixes of fat and sugar are consumed, building reward circuits via the neurochemical dopamine. The more of these foods that are consumed, the more dopamine the brain is exposed to. Over time this results in the brain becoming desensitised, requiring more of these foods to achieve the same amount of pleasure initially experienced.
It is this long-term programming effect that somewhat explains the chronic overeating of high calorie, rich foods — the ability to down an entire tub of ice cream in one setting when others can only tolerate a scoop or two.
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It also explains why the complex food concoctions human beings have developed in the form of ice cream filled with lollies, pastries filled with sugars and fast food loaded with fats, processed carbs and salts have had a profound effect on the types of foods human beings crave and overeat.
So, while we often isolate the carbohydrate sugar, we also need to remember that refined carbohydrates and processed starches can be just as damaging to cellular metabolism. For this reason, processed potato and snack foods cannot be forgotten when it comes to the potentially damaging effects of processed carbohydrates.
So before you rush out and ban all sugar from your diet, it may be more pertinent to pay more attention to these baddies — the most energy-dense foods many of us indulge in far too often.
Read more: • Nutritionist: How to create the perfect school lunch box
CHOCOLATE CROISSANT
The French may buffer theirs with red wine and small portions, but with a chocolate pastry giving you a massive 500 calories (dieters only need 1200-1500 in a day), 24g of fat and more than 60g of carbs thanks to the layers and layers of butter-clad pastry, there are few foods as quick to eat with as many fat and carb calories as that of filled pastries.
The things about muffins is that when we have small homemade versions based on wholemeal flour and plenty of fruit they are a rather nutritious option. On the other hand, when our favourite muffin is jumbo-sized and flavoured, even double flavoured as is the case with a chocolate Nutella version, your muffin can give you as much as 400-500 calories, more than 20g of fat and more than 50g of carbs.
CHOCOLATE
You were probably expecting this one. The tasty mix of milk, vegetable oils and plenty of sugar is one of the most energy-dense foods out there, especially when you calculate energy density per gram serving (let's be honest who stops at 1-2 squares). This means that just half of your favourite block of chocolate has more than 500 calories, 30g of fat and 58g of carbs.
FLAVOURED FOCACCIA
Now I am not talk a piece of plain bread here, I am talking about the fried, slathered in oil thick slices of bread in a massive serving size which add up to give you a massive 600 calories, 38g of fat and 58g of carbs per serve.
FRENCH FRIES
It may come as a surprise to hear that it is not the burgers that cause us as much trouble in the fast food stakes but the jumbo sized serve of fries we scoff down with our burgers and soft drink. The thinner the fries, the more oil they absorb which is why a medium size serve of fries clocks in at 370 calories, 20g of fat and 41g of carbs.
CHEEZELS
Potato chips are not so great for us, but when it comes to the snack foods with the highest energy densities, extruded cheese snacks like Cheezels win hands down. A 100g box (remember how light they are) equates to a massive 680 calories, 38g of fat and 70g of carbs — one of the highest of all foods out there and one of the ones best avoided altogether.
SAUSAGE ROLLS AND PIES
A weekend favourite dating back to our school days, pies are not much better but it is the fatty meat and dense pastry in a sneaky sausage roll that gives you almost 500 calories per serve, almost 30g of fat and 48g of carbs. |
Three Strikes five years on! Now with accurate numbers! | A month ago, I retracted a piece I wrote in 2015 looking at the first five years of the three strikes sentencing regime for serious violent crime, attempting to see how the first five years after three strikes compared to the five years before three strikes.
As detailed in that retraction, the comparisons I then made were invalid. The two sets of data I was comparing were not comparable. I now have this data, following contact by the Ministry of Justice after my retraction (and Nikki Macdonald's excellent work in the Dominion Post) was published, and the Ministry apologised for falling short of the high standard they set for themselves, and offered to provide comparable data if I still wanted it.
The comparison between the years before and after the coming into force is less stark, but there remains a reduction in strike recidivism beyond that in strike crime generally. The extent to which this fall can be attributed to three strikes remains anyone’s guess.
In the first five years after three strikes came into effect 5248 offenders received a ‘first strike’ (that is, a “stage-1 conviction” under the three strikes sentencing regime), and 68 offenders received a ‘second strike’.
In the five years prior to three strikes, 5517 people were convicted of an offence where that conviction would have been a ‘first strike’ had three strikes been in force at the time, and 103 were convicted of an offence that would have been a ‘second strike’.
In addition, no-one was convicted of a third strikes in three strikes’ first five years, while four people were convicted of what would have been third strikes in the preceding five years, and two of them also racked up what would have been fourth strikes.
The bald numbers provide no evidence that the existence of formal strike warnings has a deterrent effect, and arguments about what caused. Though the numbers are low, the lack of third and fourth strikes could well be a consequence of incapacity, rather than deterrence – a second strike conviction means the offender is ineligible for parole, so result in longer times spent in prison.
In its response to me, the Ministry cautions against firm conclusions:
“Please note that although this data shows that reoffending has reduced since the Act came into force, there are several factors affecting numbers of convictions and hence people convicted over the 10 year period in question. These include changes in policing practices (for example, the Policing Excellence Scheme: www.police.govt.nz/about-us/programmes-initiatives/policing-excellence), an overall reduction in crime and a reduction in the number of people prosecuted and convicted from 2009 to 2014. This means that any reduction in offending cannot be solely attributed to the Sentencing and Parole Reform Act 2010.”
We’re now at the level where alternative explanations become more likely. Our first third strike (for offending leading a conviction since the five year period of comparison) is instructive. Raven Campbell was convicted of an indecent assault committed on a prison guard. A conviction for a crime committed in prison was always likely to be the first third strike. Few prisoners convicted of serious sexual or violent crimes will have had the opportunity to have committed a strike offence, been convicted and sentenced (probably to prison) then paroled, to be convicted of a new crime committed after the first, then serve every day of a second strike sentence (for which there is no possibility of parole) before being released involving to commit further serious offending, all within five years.
In addition to the Policing Excellence scheme suggested by the Ministry of Justice (in part, it created a greater Police focus on prevention), any number of other alternative explanations for reductions in recidivism rates for serious violent crime within five years of first conviction: random variation in offending levels, longer sentences for serious offending; changes to parole laws, or to the approach of the New Zealand Parole Board to parole decisions among others. are possible explanations for reductions in recidivism rates within five years of first conviction. We’ve also seen the rollout of extended supervision orders for child sex offenders, which started in 2004 (although child sex offences make up only a small proportion of serious violent crime, and tend to have low recidivism rates).
Establishing whether something like three strikes has had an effect on recidivism rates, or offending rates is hard. The bald numbers tell us little. It is something that could be investigated further, but would need the type of resources I do not have, and I suspect would also research agreements to enable access to information that would be otherwise be withheld under the OIA for reasons of personal privacy. Mostly, I’m just here to point out the problems with others’ arguments. Too many arguments about criminal justice focus on rhetorical effect, or run the risk of falling away when the crime rate changes by a little (if you’re on Twitter, follow Fordham Professor John Pfaff):
Minor hope for 2017: never again see “prison down, and so is crime” arg based on trends. Bad causal reasoning, ticking time bomb for reform. https://t.co/seATkZAO6q — John Pfaff (@JohnFPfaff) December 30, 2016
I can't take this much further, but there are some other slightly noteworthy notings from the recent OIA releases.
In explaining why it is difficult to come up with comparable data, the Ministry of Justice noted:
Under the Act, warning may be given either when guilt is established (which is usually when the conviction is entered) or at the sentencing date. However, as the time of the giving the warnings is at the discretion of the judge, it is impossible to estimate the timings of when warnings would have been given pre the implementation of the Act.
This accords with how I’ve seen the Act occasionally work in practice – warnings sometimes aren’t given upon conviction, but this isn't a correct statement of the law. Section 86B of the Sentencing Act is clear:
86B Stage-1 offence: offender given first warning (1) When a court, on any occasion, convicts an offender of 1 or more stage-1 offences, the court must at the same time— (a) warn the offender of the consequences if the offender is convicted of any serious violent offence committed after that warning…
When a warning is given is important, because an offence will only receive a higher-level warning (with the consequent parole and sentencing effects) if it is committed after the warning was entered. It will not be common, but there will have been instances where a defendant has avoided more serious strike consequences because a judge has exercised the discretion as to timing that the Ministry of Justice says they have.
In news from a wholly unrelated OIA request I made of the New Zealand Defence Force earlier in the year, I can confirm that former Navy Commander Philip Wiig, who was convicted at a Court Martial of an indecent assault, did not receive a first warning when he was convicted, or sentenced. Although indecent assault is classed as a “serious violent offence” under the Sentencing Act, not all parts of the Sentencing Act apply to Courts Martial, and the three strikes bit is one part that doesn’t. This would apply even if they charge faced was more serious: no conviction at a Court Martial has strike consequences. Now, I oppose three strikes, but I can’t see a particularly good argument that someone with a conviction for a strike offence following a Court Martial should be in a better position if subsequently convicted for further serious offending (whether in a civilian court, or a military one).
Far from the biggest deal, but I like my laws to be consistent where possible, even when I oppose them. |
New Hampshire college town prepares for possible Patriots win - NBC12 - WWBT - Richmond, VA News On Your Side | When the Patriots won in 2002, some things were set on fire in the normally quiet downtown of Durham, New Hampshire. Local authorities are hoping to prevent that sort of destruction Sunday night. (Source: WMUR/CNN)
DURHAM, NH (WMUR/CNN) – Downtown Durham is normally fairly quiet, but after Sunday night’s Super Bowl game, it could be packed with as many as 5,000 University of New Hampshire students and their friends.
“I think everyone’s going to be doing the same thing…shattering things like last time,” said UNH senior Julie Mullaney.
When the Patriots won in 2002, some things were set on fire. And in 2013, after the World Series, bottles were thrown.
But police say those extremes are rare, and that most crowds have been responsible and cooperative.
And state, town and university police hope to keep it that way.
"We think we've got a plan down...to disperse,” said Deputy Chief Rene Kelley of the Durham Police Department.
Downtown businesses are being asked to take in signs and furniture so they aren’t wrecked or thrown.
Apartment managers and dorm resident assistants were also asked to reach out to students about appropriate behavior.
Copyright 2018 WMUR via CNN. All rights reserved. |
Industrial Salts Market - Greater Growth Rate during forecast 2018 - 2024 | Axiom Market Research & Consulting™ added an Industrial Salts Market Report, By Production Method, End User and Geography-Global Market Share, Trend Analysis & Forecast Up To 2024
Rock salt has been used widely over a while now, but since this product has so many widespread applications, the salt industry has become more competitive over time. This encourages manufacturers and consumers alike to determine the most competitive uses for industrial salt. Right from the oil industry to chemical industry, industrial salts are being used for varied applications having no substitutes. Although it is not the rarest source it’s high demand for safety and manufacturing purposes means that salt prices will continue to fluctuate for the foreseeable future. Hence, in order to ensure a flowing salt pipeline, several industrial salt consumers are considering salt from a variety of global sources. The application of industrial salts in caustic soda and chlorine manufacturing sectors are driving the growth of this market worldwide. Industrial salts market is expected to reach over USD 15.0 to 16.0 billion by 2024, growing at a CAGR of more than 2.7% during the forecast period 2019 to 2024.
Salt is extensively used as a de-icing salt in the developing regions as they fall under the snowfall regions in the world. The highway and automobile corrosion problems have been well documented and hence, high demand is reported for industrial salts from the developing economies such as North America and Europe among others. Fluctuating raw material prices may significantly hamper the growth of industrial salts market in the coming years.
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Scope & Analysis of the Report Based on Geography:
The global market is studied for key regions such as, North America which includes U.S., Canada and Mexico, Europe which includes Germany, France, U.K., Italy, Rest of Europe, Asia Pacific which includes China, Japan, India, South Korea, Rest of Asia Pacific and Rest of the world which includes Latin America and Middle East and Africa.
Global Industrial Salts Market Is Led By Leading Companies:
The global industrial salts market is concentrated with leading manufacturers such as The Chemours, Iluka Resources, Rio Tinto, Trimex Sands, and Tronox having a strong hold on the global market. Some of the key manufacturers of industrial salts in the global market include Agros, Akzo Nobel, Artyomsol, Thistle, Cheetham Salt, Dampier Salt, Dev Salt, Dow Chemical, Exportadora De Sal, Henrique Lage Salineira, Hubei Shuanghuan Science and Technology, ICL Fertilizers, Irish Salt Mining and Exploration, ALKALI, Kopalnia Soli Klodawa Spolka Akcyjna, Mitsui, Pakistan Mineral Development, Russolo, Salinas, Swiss Saltworks, Solana Tuzla, Südwestdeutsche Salzwerke, Tata Group, United Salt, Vietnam national Salt and Wacker Chemie, among others.
Inquire for further detailed information about Industrial Salts https://axiommrc.com/speak-to-analyst/?report=1700
Key Questions Answered in Report: –
• What is the Future Scope of global Industrial Salts market up to 2024
• What are the challenges to market growth?
• Who are the key vendors in the global Industrial Salts market?
• What will the market size and the growth rate be in 2024?
• What are the key market trends impacting the growth of the global Industrial Salts market?
• What are the key Companies in the global Industrial Salts market?
• What are the market opportunities and threats faced by the vendors in the global Industrial Salts market? |
Prince Hologram Reportedly Performing at the Super Bowl | Photo: Bertrand Guay/AFP/Getty Images
Hey, at least J.Timbz won’t have to worry about accidentally ripping off his chest fabric. TMZ is reporting some very intriguing news out of Minneapolis: During the Super Bowl’s halftime show later this weekend, Justin Timberlake will apparently be joined during his performance by a Prince hologram to honor the late musician in his hometown. Will they duet on “Senorita”? Pal around together while giving the Purple One’s technological spirit free rein to shred some Fender Telecasters? Have a Lady Bird–inspired moment? Who knows! |
AP Explains: How Robert E. Lee went from hero to racist icon | (AP) – Confederate Army Gen. Robert E. Lee was vilified during the Civil War only to become a heroic symbol of the South’s “Lost Cause” — and eventually a racist icon.
His transformation, at the center of the recent violence in Charlottesville, Virginia, reflects the changing moods in the United States around race, mythology and national reconciliation, historians say.
Lee monuments, memorials and schools in his name erected at the turn of the 20th Century are now facing scrutiny amid a demographically changing nation.
But who was Robert E. Lee beyond the myth? Why are there memorials in his honor in the first place?
___
THE SOLDIER
A son of American Revolutionary War hero Henry “Light-Horse Harry” Lee, Robert E. Lee graduated second in his class at West Point and distinguished himself in various battles during the U.S.-Mexico War. As tensions heated around southern secession, Lee’s former mentor, Gen. Winfield Scott, offered him a post to lead the Union’s forces against the South. Lee declined, citing his reservations about fighting against his home state of Virginia.
Lee accepted a leadership role in the Confederate forces although he had little experience leading troops. He struggled but eventually became a general in the Confederate Army, winning battles largely because of incompetent Union Gen. George McClellan. He would win other important battles against other Union’s generals, but he was often stalled. He was famously defeated at Gettysburg by Union Maj. Gen. George Meade. Historians say Lee’s massed infantry assault across a wide plain was a gross miscalculation in the era of artillery and rifle fire.
A few weeks after becoming the general in chief of the armies of the Confederate states, Lee surrendered to Union Gen. Ulysses S. Grant at Appomattox Court House in Virginia on April 9, 1865.
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THE SLAVE OWNER
A career army officer, Lee didn’t have much wealth, but he inherited a few slaves from his mother. Still, Lee married into one of the wealthiest slave-holding families in Virginia — the Custis family of Arlington and descendants of Martha Washington. When Lee’s father-in-law died, he took leave from the U.S. Army to run the struggling estate and met resistance from slaves expecting to be freed.
Documents show Lee was a cruel figure with his slaves and encouraged his overseers to severely beat slaves captured after trying to escape. One slave said Lee was one of the meanest men she had ever met.
In a 1856 letter, Lee wrote that slavery is “a moral & political evil.” But Lee also wrote in the same letter that God would be the one responsible for emancipation and blacks were better off in the U.S. than Africa.
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THE LOST CAUSE ICON
After the Civil War, Lee resisted efforts to build Confederate monuments in his honor and instead wanted the nation to move on from the Civil War.
After his death, Southerners adopted “The Lost Cause” revisionist narrative about the Civil War and placed Lee as its central figure. The Last Cause argued the South knew it was fighting a losing war and decided to fight it anyway on principle. It also tried to argue that the war was not about slavery but high constitutional ideals.
As The Lost Cause narrative grew in popularity, proponents pushed to memorialize Lee, ignoring his deficiencies as a general and his role as a slave owner. Lee monuments went up in the 1920s just as the Ku Klux Klan was experiencing a resurgence and new Jim Crow segregation laws were adopted.
The Robert E. Lee statue in Charlottesville, Virginia, went up in 1924. A year later, the U.S. Congress voted to use federal funds to restore the Lee mansion in the Arlington National Cemetery.
The U.S. Mint issued a coin in his honor, and Lee has been on five postage stamps. No other Union figure besides President Abraham Lincoln has similar honors.
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A NEW MEMORY
A generation after the civil rights movement, black and Latino residents began pressuring elected officials to dismantle Lee and other Confederate memorials in places like New Orleans, Houston and South Carolina. The removals partly were based on violent acts committed white supremacists using Confederate imagery and historians questioning the legitimacy of The Lost Cause.
A Gen. Robert E. Lee statue was removed from Lee Circle in New Orleans as the last of four monuments to Confederate-era figures to be removed under a 2015 City Council vote.
The Houston Independent School District also voted in 2016 to rename Robert E. Lee High School, a school with a large Latino population, as Margaret Long Wisdom High School.
Earlier this year, the Charlottesville, Virginia, City Council voted to remove its Lee statue from a city park, sparking a lawsuit from opponents of the move. The debate also drew opposition from white supremacists and neo-Nazis who revered Lee and the Confederacy. The opposition resulted in rallies to defend Lee statues this weekend that resulted in at least three deaths. |
Sargsyan to Putin: We have managed to complement Armenian-Russian cooperation agenda with new joint initiatives | The President of Armenia, Serzh Sargsyan, on Saturday had a telephonic conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin, and congratulated and extended Putin good wishes on his birthday.
Also, Sargsyan issued a respective congratulatory message to the Russian President.
“Dear Vladimir Vladimirovich,
“Please accept my heartfelt congratulations on your jubilee! I sincerely wish you good health and every success in achieving the proposed objectives for the sake of Russia’s development, its citizens’ welfare and the strengthening of your country’s role in global politics. I wish to thank you for your personal contribution to the strengthening of strategic and allied relations between Armenia and Russia based on centuries-old traditions of friendship, brotherhood and mutual assistance of our peoples.
“Through consistent efforts, we have managed to complement the Armenian-Russian cooperation agenda with new joint initiatives and projects, which undoubtedly meet the fundamental interests of our peoples and promote stability and security in the South Caucasus.
“I am always sincerely happy to meet with you in an atmosphere of openness, mutual trust and partnership, which is due to the friendly relations established between us. I am confident that the active political dialogue will continue to bring about constructive cooperation between our countries both in the bilateral format and on the margins of the EAEU, CSTO, CIS and other international organizations.
“I cordially wish you, Dear Vladimir Vladimirovich, robust health, happiness, well-being and all the best,” the President of Armenia said in his congratulatory message. |
Deadly suicide car bomb hits security checkpoint in Mogadishu | A Somali police officer says a suicide bomber detonated an explosives-laden vehicle at a security checkpoint near Mogadishu's international airport, killing at least three people.
Capt. Mohamed Hussein says the bomb detonated Monday as security forces were searching cars at the checkpoint, a few hundred meters (yards) from the main base of the African Union peacekeeping mission.
The checkpoint is close to United Nations offices and the Peace Hotel, which is often frequented by foreigners and officials. The powerful blast blew roofs off nearby buildings.
A second blast and heavy gunfire could be heard at the checkpoint after the attack, but there were no immediate details.
There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack. However, the al-Qaida linked Islamic extremist group al-Shabab often carries out such attacks.
Despite being ousted from most of its key strongholds across large parts of south and central Somalia, the group continues to wage deadly attacks across the country.
Somalia's capital has seen frequent bomb attacks at hotels and military checkpoints. The assaults have threatened this Horn of Africa nation's attempts to rebuild from decades of chaos. The country's presidential election, a key step toward recovery, already has been delayed multiple times because of security and other concerns.
(AP)
Date created : 2017-01-02 |
Isco at the double to rescue Real Madrid and top Player Power Rankings | Craig Burley and Mark Donaldson evaluate this week's player power rankings, with Isco's brace leading the way.
Also receiving votes: Son Heung-Min (Tottenham), Cristian Zapata (AC Milan), Aritz Aduriz (Athletic Club), Diego Falcinelli (Crotone), Timo Werner (RB Leipzig), Angel Di Maria (Paris Saint-Germain), Joao Pedro (Benfica), Jurgen Damm (Tigres), Bernd Leno (Bayer Leverkusen), Kerem Demirbay (TSG Hoffenheim).
Let us know what you think of the countdown by commenting below or on Twitter using #ESPNFCrankings.
Follow @ESPNFC on Twitter to keep up with the latest football updates. |
Air India bidding deadline ends today. What happens if there are no suitors | The offer for Air India sale includes 76% in Air India, 100% stake in Air India Express and 50% in Air India SATS Airport Services. Photo: Abhijit Bhatlekar/Mint
New Delhi: Managers of Air India sale have their fingers crossed as the bidding deadline will expire today evening. There have been no bids so far.
But the government is betting on last-minute flurry of bids, going by the large number of queries it got so far, but a no show by investors will turn out to be a blow to Air India privatisation—seen as the last resort after taxpayer bailouts.
On Wednesday, civil aviation secretary R.N. Choubey said that no bids had been received and that the government expects bids to come in at the last hour. Choubey also told television channels that there was no scope of government extending the 31 May bidding deadline, which was already extended once from 14 May on account of poor response. Last week, the secretary told reporters that the government was not against calling off the Air India sale if bids did not meet expectations.
Some key concerns of investors include the level of management flexibility available to them with the government retaining 24% stake, commitments to be given to protect employees and the level of debt to be retained in the company—Rs24,576 crore excluding net current liabilities—which some find high in comparison to potential future earnings. After the sale, government will enjoy all shareholder rights available to it under law, rather than opting to remain as a minority financial investor.
Industry watchers said that in order to make sure that the Air India sale goes through, the government may have to modify the terms of the disinvestment. Some of the finer aspects of the sale will only be disclosed in the request for proposal (RFP) and in the shareholder agreement that the government will sign with the highest bidder. Investors will not know what these terms would be at the time of putting in their initial expressions of interest by 5pm today.
In case of poor investor interest, the government may have to do a rethink on the terms of disinvestment, said Kinjal Shah, vice president (corporate ratings) at rating agency Icra Ltd.
According to a government official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, potential investors will keep their cards close to themselves till the eleventh hour as information about their bid could influence competition for the asset.
The government had in April invited fresh bids for selling 51% in state-owned helicopter services company Pawan Hans Ltd after cancelling the previous invitation for want of sufficient response. Poor investor interest could be a setback for the government’s policy of privatising loss-making, state-owned companies after having explored other options.
The offer for Air India sale includes 76% in Air India Ltd, 100% stake in low-cost international carrier Air India Express Ltd and 50% in Air India SATS Airport Services Pvt. Ltd.
Air India is currently on a bailout approved in 2012, under which it has so far received an equity support of over Rs26,545 crore till 2017. |
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Proposal on card to set up 42 special economic zones: Senate told | ISLAMABAD, April 17 (APP): Minister for Industries and Production Ghulam
Murtaza Khan Jatoi Monday apprised the Senate that proposal was on card to set up 42 Special Economic Zone (SEZ) across the country besides nine industrial zones being established under China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) in all the provinces, Gilgit-Baltistan and Azad Jammu and Kashmir.
Winding up discussion on a motion moved by Ayesha Raza Farooq that the
House may discuss the need for effective measures to boost industrial growth in the country, the minister said the SEZ aimed at manufacturing all those goods which now were being imported.
He said the approved nine zones would be set up one each in all
provinces, Gilgit-Baltistan, Azad Kashmir and FATA while two zones at Islamabad and Karachi.
Jatoi said Board of Investment was also developing a policy so that
technology could also be transferred to Pakistan in the economic zones.
He said all Pakistani labour laws would be implemented in these zones
adding that local labours would be given opportunities in these zones.
The minister said the government was taking effective measures to boost
industrial growth in the country.
He said the industrial growth has reached to 6.8 percent this year from
4.6 per cent owing to the pragmatic steps taken by the incumbent government.
Jatoi said industries have almost been exempted from power and gas load-shedding.
He said export processing zone has already started work in Karachi and
another would be established in Gwadar.
The minister said the government has also given auto policy under which
new manufacturing plants were being set up in the country which would also help attract foreign investment.
The interest rate was also reduced from 9.5 per cent to 5.7 per cent to
encourage investment in the country. |
Google adds real-time updates from the NHL & NBA directly to its search results | Google announced this afternoon it’s adding new features to both Google Search and Google Play Newsstand that will help people keep up with their favorite teams and their standings during the NBA and the NHL playoffs. In Search, you’ll now find Knowledge Panels with information directly from the teams, like highlights, photos or GIFs, for NHL, NBA as well as MLB teams. Meanwhile, Newsstand will also offer top headlines, scores, analysis and videos.
The Search feature is taking advantage of Google’s recently expanded “Posts on Google” product, which allows organizations to share status updates and other information directly on Google’s Search result pages, where they appear as widgets placed among the blue links. Effectively, it turns Google itself into a variation on Twitter – but one where only approved organizations can share their news.
The feature was originally developed for the 2016 U.S. presidential campaign, allowing candidates to post updates to Google Search results pages. Last month, Google said it would open up this program more broadly, to organizations like museums, sports teams, sports leagues and movie studios, for example.
The addition of the sports updates is one of the first high-profile launches for Posts on Google, following the March announcement.
You can trigger these search results by entering in specific queries, like “Stanley Cup Playoffs” or a team’s name.
Google tells us these posts can be anything, from photos to GIFs or even call-outs to fans.
NHL and NBA updates are available in both Search and Newsstand, but MLB was only mentioned as being integrated into Search.
The real-time updates will also make their way to Google Play Newsstand’s app, which is available online at newsstand.google.com, or as a standalone mobile app on iOS or Android. The app will feature special NBA and Stanley Cup Playoffs sections, with the latest news, scores, analysis, and videos, in addition to the real-time posts (which are linked to Google Search).
These features are rolling out now globally in English, but the team information will appear for those in the U.S. and Canada. |
Registration for annual Amarnath Yatra to begin on March 1 | Share 0 Share 0 Share 0
STATE TIMES NEWS
JAMMU: The registration for 60-day annual Amarnath yatra, which will commence on June 28, will begin on March 1, a senior official said Friday.
The registration will take place through 440 branches of the Punjab National Bank, the Jammu and Kashmir Bank and the YES Bank across the country, said Umang Narula, Principal Secretary to Governor and Chief Executive Officer Shri Amarnath Shrine Board (SASB).
Governor N N Vohra, who is also the Chairman of the Amarnathji Shrine Board, today reviewed the arrangements being made for the yatra, which is scheduled to begin on June 28 and conclude on August 26.
Vohra directed the SASB CEO to ensure no person below the age of 13 years or above 75 years is registered even though he or she might have obtained the compulsory health certificate.
The governor was given a detailed report about the arrangements being made in the yatra area along both the Pahalgam and Baltal routes which, inter-alia, include facilities of providing water supply, electricity, overnight stay accommodation, temporary latrines and baths for the yatris and sanitation arrangements.
As approved by the governor, the CEO will incur an expenditure of nearly Rs 1.50 crore for procuring 629 new pre-fabricated latrines and baths, which include 243 European type and 286 Indian-type latrines and 100 baths, to replace the damaged units.
It was further informed that 2750 latrines, of which 499 are English type, shall be installed during the ensuing yatra, which is 157 more than in the previous year.
No unauthorised tent or shop should be pitched in any camp, the governor directed.
Narula informed the governor adequate arrangements would be in place for extending medical facilities to the yatris by the health department, the army and the security forces.
These will include adequately equipped base hospitals, medical aid centers and emergency aid centers.
The governor was also informed about the status of the project to upgrade the technology of the Sewage Treatment Plant at the Nunwan Base Camp.
A detailed project report for modernisation of this STP has been prepared and the process of tendering the work has been initiated, he said. |
Film producer Harvey Weinstein indicted on rape charges | Movie producer Harvey Weinstein has been indicted on charges of rape and a criminal sexual act, Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance said in a statement on Wednesday.
Weinstein's indictment by a grand jury follows his arrest and court appearance last Friday on charges related to two among the scores of women who have accused him of sexual misconduct, all of which he has denied.
Weinstein's lawyer, Benjamin Brafman, said at the time the disgraced producer intends to plead not guilty.
Earlier on Wednesday, Weinstein declined to testify before the grand jury after a judge denied a request by Brafman to postpone the appearance. Brafman had argued Weinstein was denied access to information about the case and lacked preparation time.
The grand jury indictment follows a months-long investigation with the New York Police Department. Police have not identified the two women, but said the crimes took place in 2004 and 2013.
Vance's statement said Weinstein was charged by the grand jury with rape in the first and third degrees and a criminal sexual act in the first degree. If convicted on the most serious charges, Weinstein could face between five and 25 years in prison.
Weinstein, the 66-year-old co-founder of the Miramax film studio and the Weinstein Co, has been accused of sexual misconduct by more than 70 women, with some of the allegations dating back decades.
He has denied ever having nonconsensual sex.
The accusations, first reported last year by the New York Times and the New Yorker, gave rise to the #MeToo movement, in which hundreds of women have publicly accused powerful men in business, government and entertainment of sexual misconduct.
© (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2018. |
2018 Puppy Bowl to Include Dogs Rescued From Hurricane Zones | Dog lovers have a whole new reason to tune into the Puppy Bowl!
Animal Planet hosts its own version of the Super Bowl every year, a football face-off starring some admittedly much more adorable athletes. (Sorry, Tom Brady!) For Puppy Bowl XIV, 90 adoptable pooches will be featured, including survivors from last year's many natural disasters.
"Rufferee" Dan Schachner told Fox News that dogs rescued from Hurricane Harvey, Hurricane Maria and more will participate. "We have Mango from Mexico; we have Tyler rescued from the flood waters of Hurricane Harvey; we have several puppies from the Miami area," he shared. |
Frustrated police appeal for public's help in Las Vegas case | After five days of scouring the life of Las Vegas gunman Stephen Paddock and chasing 1,000 leads, investigators confessed Friday they still don't know what drove him to mass murder, and they announced plans to put up billboards appealing for the public's help.
Investigators have examined Paddock's politics, his finances, any possible radicalization and his social behavior — typical investigative avenues that have helped uncover the motive in past shootings.
"We still do not have a clear motive or reason why," Clark County Undersheriff Kevin McMahill said. "We have looked at literally everything."
The FBI announced that billboards would go up around the city asking anyone with information to phone 800-CALL-FBI.
"If you know something, say something," said Aaron Rouse, agent in charge of the Las Vegas FBI office. "We will not stop until we have the truth."
Paddock, a reclusive 64-year-old high-stakes gambler, rained bullets on the crowd at a country music festival Sunday night from his 32nd-floor hotel suite, killing 58 and wounding hundreds before taking his own life.
McMahill said investigators had reviewed voluminous video from the casino and don't think Paddock had an accomplice in the shooting, but they want to know if anyone knew about his plot beforehand.
It is unusual to have so few clues five days after a mass shooting. In previous mass killings or terrorist attacks, killers left notes, social media postings and information on a computer — or even phoned police.
"The lack of a social media footprint is likely intentional," said Erroll Southers, director of homegrown violent extremism studies at the University of Southern California. "We're so used to, in the first 24 to 48 hours, being able to review social media posts. If they don't leave us a note behind or a manifesto behind, and we're not seeing that, that's what's making this longer."
What officers have found is that Paddock planned his attack meticulously.
He requested an upper-floor room overlooking the festival, stockpiled 23 guns, a dozen of them modified to fire continuously like an automatic weapon, and set up cameras inside and outside his room to watch for approaching officers.
In a possible sign he was contemplating massacres at other sites, he also booked rooms overlooking the Lollapalooza festival in Chicago in August and the Life Is Beautiful show near the Vegas Strip in late September, according to authorities reconstructing his movements leading up to the deadliest mass shooting in modern U.S. history.
His arsenal also included tracer rounds that can improve a shooter's firing accuracy in the dark, a law enforcement official told The Associated Press. It wasn't clear whether Paddock fired any of the illuminated bullets during the high-rise massacre.
Paddock bought 1,000 rounds of the .308-caliber and .223-caliber tracer ammunition from a private buyer he met at a Phoenix gun show, a law enforcement official not authorized to comment on the investigation said on condition of anonymity.
Tracer rounds illuminate their path so a gunman can home in on targets at night. But they can also give away the shooter's position.
Video shot of the pandemonium that erupted when Paddock started strafing the festival showed a muzzle flash from his room at the Mandalay Bay resort, but bullets weren't visible in the night sky.
A federal official said authorities are looking into the possibility Paddock planned additional attacks, including a car bombing. The official wasn't authorized to discuss the matter publicly and spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity.
Paddock had 1,600 rounds of ammunition in his car in a casino parking garage, along with fertilizer that can be used to make explosives and 50 pounds (23 kilograms) of Tannerite, a substance used in explosive rifle targets.
His girlfriend, Marilou Danley, told FBI agents Wednesday that she had not noticed any changes in his mental state or indications he could become violent, the federal official said.
Paddock sent Danley on a trip to her native Philippines before the attack, and she was unaware of his plans and devastated when she learned of the carnage while overseas, she said in a statement.
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Melley reported from Los Angeles. Associated Press writers Michael Balsamo, Regina Garcia Cano and Josh Hoffner in Las Vegas; Jacques Billeaud in Phoenix; and Don Babwin and Michael Tarm in Chicago contributed to this report.
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For complete coverage of the Las Vegas shooting, click here: https://apnews.com/tag/LasVegasmassshooting. |
Caterpillar Inc. Management Confirmed Its Outlook — Build Your Profits | Caterpillar Inc. (NYSE: CAT ) stock has not been easy to own through the turbulence of the past two months. Tariff war headlines with China made CAT an easy target for shorts. Fears were overblown over retaliation from China. And stocks like Caterpillar, Boeing Co (NYSE: BA ) and Deere & Company (NYSE: DE ) became easy targets in spite of their great fundamentals.
I’ve been long CAT stock for a while and profitable in that trade. This morning, management reported an excellent quarter where they beat expectations, and more importantly raised guidance going forward.
Management cited stronger demand than anticipated. This is as bullish a statement as can be for any company. Stronger demand on CAT products and services confirms my macroeconomic thesis for this year, so I want to add to my bullish exposure to CAT stock.
This time instead of adding shares or upside calls, I will use options to sell downside risk against proven support. This way I get to enjoy my longs in CAT without immediate incremental risk. My new levels of support allow for a sizable descent from current price just in case we hit more turbulent headlines that have nothing to do with deterioration of CAT business.
Fundamentally, CAT stock is not expensive from a price-earnings ratio. It is well priced within its competitors so there is no undue risk from a value perspective. Furthermore, the quality of the management team and the maturity of the company contribute to my strong conviction in the bullish thesis. Meaning this is a proven management team that is not likely to commit errors under normal operating conditions.
Wall Street experts are not overzealous on the stock which is good. And it is now trading well below their price target ranges leaving plenty of room of upside which fits with my bullish thesis on Caterpillar stock.
Technically, $160 per share has been difficult for CAT since the February correction. However it does now present an opportunity. The bulls have been setting higher lows and testing this neckline area. If it can break through that level then the upside target should be $168 per share or higher.
If I am long the stock I stay in it. And this additional risk described here would there by lower my entry cost with plenty of room for error.
Caterpillar Stock Trade Ideas
The Trade: Sell the CAT Nov $130 naked put and collect $3.30 to open. Here I have a 85% theoretical chance that I would retain maximum gains. But if the price falls below my strike then I accrue losses below $126.70.
Those who want to mitigate the risk that comes with selling naked puts can sell spreads instead.
The Alternate Trade: Sell the CAT Nov $130/$125 credit put spread. The spread has the same odds but would deliver 17% yield on risk. Neither trade require a rally to profit.
Since there are no guarantees when investing in stocks, I never risk more than I can afford to lose.
Learn how to generate income from options here. Nicolas Chahine is the managing director of SellSpreads.com. As of this writing, he did not hold a position in any of the aforementioned securities. You can follow him as @racernic on twitter and stocktwits. |
How bad is the NHS postcode lottery? | Image copyright Getty Images
There has been much talk about whether more of a "postcode lottery" has opened up for NHS patients.
Recent revelations about IVF provision, highlighting major variations around England and more extensive care in Scotland and Wales, added to the debate.
Financial pressures have led some local health commissioners to restrict what services they offer patients.
Now a new analysis of publicly available data reveals diverging trends in England for a range of procedures, including colonoscopy and hip operations. The research has been carried out by the Medical Technology Group, an organisation with members including research charities and product suppliers.
Ministers have called for more transparency to allow patients to make their own judgements on the quality of care offered by the NHS in their local area. The report authors argue that there are "huge amounts of data" online and it can be difficult for people to get an overview on how their local clinical commissioning group is performing. They use sources including the NHS Atlas of Variation to highlight what they argue are "huge " levels of variation which are "unacceptable".
Examples quoted include two neighbouring commissioning groups in the south of England with very different outcomes for CT colonoscopies - an important procedure for diagnosing or giving the "all clear" for bower cancer. In one of the areas, only one patient per 100,000 of population was referred for the procedure, while nearby it was 590 patients per 100,000.
There is wide variation in the number of hip replacements in different areas - with one referring more than 200 patients per 100,000 residents for operations and another seeing fewer than 100 treated overall.
Image copyright Science Photo Library
The research suggests that patients in some parts of the North of England are receiving more timely treatment than their counterparts in the South. Commissioning groups in London and the South East scored the lowest marks.
Demography explains some of the variations - the number of elderly patients is an important consideration, for example. Some local health economies might be better than others at treating people out of hospital and keeping down the numbers referred for hospital treatment. Even so, the report authors argue that the range of outcomes is hard to explain. They say NHS England should step in if there is evidence that local commissioning policies have reduced the number of people receiving treatment and there should be a tribunal mechanism if people question those policies.
NHS England said the data had all been previously published and there were efforts to help local areas identify which treatment differences were linked to local need. NHS Clinical Commissioners, representing local health groups, said they were working to understand where variation might be unwarranted. A spokesperson added that there were rising financial pressures and local health leaders were having to "make increasingly hard decisions to make sure that they provide the patients and the populations they serve with the best possible healthcare within the overall resources they have."
The postcode lottery debate goes back many years. What's relatively new is the range of data available for those who can dig it out. The fragmented nature of the NHS in England with local commissioners making their own decisions on what to offer patients has accelerated the trend. |
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Crews battle early-morning fire at popular Saskatoon buffet | Fire crews were hard at work early Friday morning, responding to reports of heavy smoke and fire at the Best Asia Buffet on Circle Drive and Quebec Avenue.
The call came in shortly after 5 a.m. with reports of smoke and flames coming from the roof of the restaurant. The Saskatoon Fire Department had several trucks on scene, and worked to contain the smoke and locate the source of the fire. They believe it may have started in the HVAC unit, but are still investigating.
“We immediately lathered the building, and sprayed out the fire we could see,” said Brent Hart, Saskatoon Fire Battalion Chief. “We made sure there were no occupants inside, and then we had to make sure the fire hadn’t spread. You have to work quickly in a situation like this.”
There were no injuries as a result of the fire. A fire investigator remains on scene. A cause is still unavailable. |
Premier League clubs mull closing transfer window early | LONDON, Aug 14 (Reuters) - English Premier League clubs are set to discuss whether to shut the transfer window before the start of the 2018-19 season when they meet next month, British media have reported.
Representatives from the 20 top-flight clubs are due to attend a shareholders meeting on Sept. 7 with the majority pushing for a new, earlier, transfer deadline to be introduced.
Talks are expected to take place between all the clubs about whether to change the end of the window, which currently closes on Aug. 31 nearly three weeks after the first game.
It will be proposed that the transfer deadline is brought forward to the week before the start of the 2018-19 Premier League season, The Daily Telegraph reported on its website.
British media said the majority of Premier League clubs favour an earlier window closure, with the approval of at least 14 of the 20 required for a new rule to be introduced.
Clubs from other European leagues, including Spain and Italy, would be allowed to sign players from England in line with their own domestic deadlines but transfers between Premier League clubs would not be allowed once the season starts.
Swansea City manager Paul Clement, who has left Gylfi Sigurdsson out of the squad having been unsettled by repeated bids from Everton, spoke about the window after Saturday's draw at Southampton in their opening game.
"It would be a better situation if the window closed before the start of the season and then people know that they have got their group for the first game - they are available, they aren't available," Clement told a news conference.
"I know there are talks about changing that for the future and my opinion is that it should be changed. Before the first game you should know who you have got and who you haven't got.
"At our managers' meeting at the Premier League ... we spoke about it. The majority of clubs are in favour, but maybe all have to be for it to go through."
The January transfer window would be unaffected. (Writing by Ken Ferris; editing by Greg Stutchbury) |
No. 25 Notre Dame rallies for 84-76 win over BC | BOSTON (AP) — Bonzie Colson remembered running around Boston College, having birthday parties and shooting around with some of the Eagles’ notable players when his dad was an assistant coach.
He was having fun again Tuesday night.
Colson scored 20 points, Matt Farrell had 19 and No. 25 Notre Dame overcame a 13-point first-half deficit for an 84-76 victory over Boston College, sending the Eagles to their 10th straight loss.
“I just remember a lot of times shooting around before practice, being a ball boy. Just trying to learn the game and learn from them,” said Colson, who recalled being around former Eagles like current NBA players Jared Dudley and Reggie Jackson to name a few.
“It’s been something that’s always been a huge part of my life and I’ll never forget those memories,” Colson said.
V.J. Beachem had 16 points and Steve Vasturia added 15 for the Fighting Irish (20-7, 9-5 Atlantic Coast Conference). It is coach Mike Brey’s 13th time winning at least 20 games with Notre Dame.
Ky Bowman led Boston College (9-18, 2-12) with 29 points and Mo Jeffers had 12.
BC had sliced it to 78-76 on Bowman’s two free throws with just under a minute to play, but Beachem grabbed an offensive rebound and was fouled on the ensuing possession. He hit both free throws with 24.1 seconds to play.
“When you get opportunities in the ACC, you’ve got to make the play,” BC coach Jim Christian said of the rebound. “We didn’t. It’s a short answer to a complicated question, but it’s the truth.”
The Fighting Irish trailed by 10 points early in the second half before outscoring BC 21-3 over a 4:50 span.
Consecutive 3s from Farrell 29 seconds apart tied it at 59 before Colson’s putback jam on their next possession gave them their first lead of the game with just under 13 minutes to play. Farrell let out a loud yell when he was running down the court.
“I think in the first half we weren’t playing with any energy or any of that passion we need to play with,” he said.
Farrell had committed to BC out of high school but opted out after Steve Donahue was fired in March 2014.
“I was thinking about some extra stuff,” he said. “Some guys called me ‘traitor.’ It was awesome.”
The Eagles had led by 13 points and posted a season-high for a first half with 49 points to open a 10-point lead at intermission. They shot 58.6 percent (17 of 29) and also went 9 for 10 from the free throw line.
BIG PICTURE
Notre Dame: The Fighting Irish need to take advantage of a softer portion of their schedule – with games coming up against North Carolina State, Georgia Tech and another with BC to have a chance to make a run to the top of the ACC.
Boston College: Like a number of games this season, the Eagles showed spunk but couldn’t close out a win. With leading scorer Jerome Robinson (19.4) struggling down the stretch, they really looked challenged offensively. He finished with 11 points on 3-of-12 shooting.
POLL IMPLICATIONS
Notre Dame: The Irish climbed back into the poll this week after being out for one week. A loss to BC and some weaker opponents coming up would have made it very hard to get back in the next few weeks.
NICE RUN
Brey talked about how consistent his program has remained in its fourth season in the ACC, posting a third straight 20-win season.
“We’ve been on a great run,” he said. “I’m really proud of our program. We had a pretty consistent program when were in the Big East. I was worried bringing it to the ACC.”
FAMILY HISTORY
Colson’s dad – also Bonzie – was an assistant at BC under Al Skinner for nine years.
NUMBER CHANGE
BC forward Conar Tava wore No. 30 instead of his usual No. 2 for the second half after playing the final few minutes of the first with a large tear down the left side.
UP NEXT
Notre Dame: At NC State on Saturday.
Boston College: At No. 17 Florida State on Monday. The Eagles are 0-6 on the road in league play.
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More AP college basketball: http://www.collegebasketball.ap.org and https://twitter.com/AP_Top25. |
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3D-printed patch can help mend a broken heart | A team of biomedical engineering researchers, led by the University of Minnesota, has created a revolutionary 3D-bioprinted patch that can help heal scarred heart tissue after a heart attack. The discovery is a major step forward in treating patients with tissue damage after a heart attack.
The research study is published today in Circulation Research, a journal published by the American Heart Association. Researchers have filed a patent on the discovery.
According to the American Heart Association, heart disease is the No. 1 cause of death in the U.S. killing more than 360,000 people a year. During a heart attack, a person loses blood flow to the heart muscle and that causes cells to die. Our bodies can’t replace those heart muscle cells so the body forms scar tissue in that area of the heart, which puts the person at risk for compromised heart function and future heart failure.
In this study, researchers from the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities, University of Wisconsin-Madison, and University of Alabama-Birmingham used laser-based 3D-bioprinting techniques to incorporate stem cells derived from adult human heart cells on a matrix that began to grow and beat synchronously in a dish in the lab.
Watch a video of the cells beating on the patch.
Video of Beating Cardiac Patch
When the cell patch was placed on a mouse following a simulated heart attack, the researchers saw significant increase in functional capacity after just four weeks. Since the patch was made from cells and structural proteins native to the heart, it became part of the heart and absorbed into the body, requiring no further surgeries.
“This is a significant step forward in treating the No. 1 cause of death in the U.S.,” said Brenda Ogle, an associate professor of biomedical engineering at the University of Minnesota. “We feel that we could scale this up to repair hearts of larger animals and possibly even humans within the next several years.”
Ogle said that this research is different from previous research in that the patch is modeled after a digital, three-dimensional scan of the structural proteins of native heart tissue. The digital model is made into a physical structure by 3D printing with proteins native to the heart and further integrating cardiac cell types derived from stem cells. Only with 3D printing of this type can we achieve one micron resolution needed to mimic structures of native heart tissue.
“We were quite surprised by how well it worked given the complexity of the heart,” Ogle said. “We were encouraged to see that the cells had aligned in the scaffold and showed a continuous wave of electrical signal that moved across the patch.”
Ogle said they are already beginning the next step to develop a larger patch that they would test on a pig heart, which is similar in size to a human heart.
The research was funded by the National Science Foundation, National Institutes of Health, University of Minnesota Lillehei Heart Institute, and University of Minnesota Institute for Engineering in Medicine.
In addition to Ogle, other biomedical engineering researchers who were part of the team include Molly E. Kupfer, Jangwook P. Jung, Libang Yang, Patrick Zhang, and Brian T. Freeman from the University of Minnesota; Paul J. Campagnola, Yong Da Sie, Quyen Tran, and Visar Ajeti from the University of Wisconsin-Madison; and Jianyi Zhang, Ling Gao, and Vladimir G. Fast from the University of Alabama,
To read the full research paper entitled “Myocardial Tissue Engineering With Cells Derived from Human Induced-Pluripotent Stem Cells and a Native-Like, High-Resolution, 3-Dimensionally Printed Scaffold,” visit the Circulation Research website. |
Innovative procedure saves baby alpaca in Lebanon | Hercules the alpaca was only 24 hours old when he broke his front left leg at Cedar Rock Ranch in Lebanon. He received a plasma transfusion and was bottle-fed for months. The open wound and exposed bone led to a serious infection, preventing the bone break from healing properly.
The animal’s veterinarian referred him to the University of Tennessee College of Veterinary Medicine for advanced treatment.
Dr. Pierre-Yves Mulon, UTCVM assistant professor in farm animal medicine and surgery, determined the NuCress scaffold was the best option to heal the fragile animal.
The Nucress scaffold is a nanomaterial-based bone regeneration device pioneered by University of Arkansas at Little Rock’s systems engineering professor Dr. Alexadru S. Biris, UTCVM head of large animal clinical sciences, Dr. David Anderson and a team of designated researchers.
The scaffold is designed to be implanted directly into the wound by a surgeon and can be loaded with drugs to fight infection or with hormones and stem cells to encourage bone growth. As a result, the scaffold can deliver bacteria-fighting drugs directly to the wound and be safely absorbed by the body, generally eliminating the need for additional surgeries.
Mulon loaded the scaffold with antibiotics and implanted it into Hercules’ wound, expecting a long wait due to the alpaca’s condition. The process proved quicker than he expected.
“Hercules responded well and fast,” said Mulon. “We was able to walk immediately after surgery and has been very active. The bone repaired within the time range expected for a closed fracture, though it was an open one.”
Mulon said while other options, such as traditionally administered drugs, could have been used, they would have presented more obstacles such as future surgeries.
“It is difficult to confirm if the results would have changed using any other option; however, I think it would have necessitated more time,” said Mulon. “Any open fracture carries a guarded to poor prognosis, and Hercules made it as we are very happy,”
Researchers received a grant of more than $5 million from the Department of Defense and hope to develop the product for use with humans. |
Inmate: Prison officers complicit in cellphone problem | South Carolina prison officials have for years blamed cellphones for contributing to inmate violence. After a bloody riot at a maximum-security prison last weekend that left seven inmates dead, they find themselves once again asking federal officials to grant waivers and change laws to let them block the signals of these contraband devices.
Gov. Henry McMaster has eased hiring rules for new corrections officers. He says an officer shortage allows contraband to flow freely into the state’s prisons, provoking often deadly inmate battles.
But some who’ve spent time in and around these institutions say contraband is so plentiful it is rarely the cause of violent disputes. They also say the problem stems from the inaction and collusion of currently employed correctional officers, not a shortage of employees. |
ICC 2018 U-19 Cricket World Cup: Here's what India will win as prize | India completed an eight-wicket win over Australia in the final of the ICC U-19 World Cup.
The Boys in Blue created history by winning a record fourth title, beating Australia by eight wickets in the final. (Photo: AFP)
Mount Maunganui: Prithvi Shaw-led India U-19 cricket team produced a fine performance in the final of the ICC U-19 World Cup against Australia here on Saturday.
The Boys in Blue created history by winning a record fourth title, beating Australia by eight wickets in the final.
India started off strongly in the run chase, with Prithvi Shaw and Manjot Kalra putting up a 71-run stand, after which the captain departed for 29.
Following the triumph, here is what Prithvi Shaw's men will win.
India played Australia in their first group match of the tournament, completing a dominant 100-run win over the three-time champions.
This was India U-19 team's first World Cup title since Unmukt Chand's heroics in the final against Australia back in 2012.
Meanwhile, Supreme Court-appointed Committee of Administrators (COA) on Saturday, announced cash rewards for the victorious India U19 team that won the ICC U19 World Cup in New Zealand after the team defeated Australia in the final at the Bay Oval.
While the coach of the Indian team, Rahul Dravid, will get Rs 50 lakhs, members of the Prithvi Shaw-led India U19 team will receive Rs 20 lakhs each. The members of the support staff, Rs 20 lakhs each.
“I congratulate the U19 team who have made the country proud. Head Coach Rahul Dravid played his cricket with sincerity and it was pleasing to see the boys uphold the value.
"They have been fantastic athletes and even better ambassadors. The boys have done so well, and I am sure they will work hard and climb the ladder and represent the senior team in the future,” said head of COA, Vinod Rai, in a media release issued by BCCI.
Ms. Diana Edulji, Member, CoA, said: "The consistent performance is a testimony to the fact of BCCI’s initiative in nurturing the talent and providing them an environment to the youngsters and perform to their potential. I congratulate Rahul Dravid and his team for returning home with the glittering ICC World Cup.” |
Police to treat gangs like terror suspects with tough new laws | Police will treat gang members like terrorism suspects if they use YouTube music videos to incite violence on the streets, under new proposals to tackle the soaring murder rates.
The measures, if taken forward in consultation with the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), will mean officers won’t have to prove that specific videos or social media posts were linked to an act of violence.
Currently, police need evidence to specifically link them to certain crimes.
The move will echo terrorism laws, as under the Terrorism Act the offence of inciting a person to commit an act of terrorism does not need to be linked to a particular attack.
Commander Jim Stokley, Scotland Yard’s most senior officer responding to gang crime, told The Times “there isn’t specific legislation” for gangs, adding: “Clearly we can’t use terrorism legislation [but] in consultation with the CPS, we have found some existing legislation which we are going to use.” |
Celtics' Smart cleared to play Tuesday, Bucks' Henson out | Boston Celtics guard Marcus Smart was medically cleared to play in Tuesday's Game 5 against the Milwaukee Bucks, coach Brad Stevens said at the team's morning shootaround.
Smart hasn't played since injuring his right thumb on March 11. He underwent surgery to repair a ligament and will wear a splint to protect the hand.
Stevens said that Smart will be monitored closely leading up to the game.
"One thing is he hasn't played in a month and a half," Stevens told reporters. "So this is an opportunity to come in and do what he does best, and that's impact the game with his energy, his physicality, his savvy and his skill. I think one of the things obviously when you've got a player of his caliber, he's really excited to play.
"But at the same time, we'll see how he feels. Again, if he's got any lingering effects at all after going a 2-on-2 or a 3-on-3 here in an hour or so, then we won't play him."
Smart averaged 10.2 points, 4.8 assists and 3.5 rebounds in 54 games (11 starts) during the regular season.
Meanwhile, Milwaukee will be without center John Henson (back) for the third straight game. Henson didn't make the trip to Boston, and his status for Game 6 could become an issue.
Henson averaged 8.8 points and 6.8 rebounds in 76 regular-season games (69 starts).
Tyler Zeller is expected to draw his third straight start, but it has been 21-year-old Thon Maker who has stepped up his play with Henson out. Maker is averaging 11 points and five blocked shots over the past two games, both Milwaukee victories.
The Eastern Conference first-round series is tied at 2 entering Tuesday's game.
--Field Level Media |
S Iswaran looks forward to challenge of helming MCI | WITH "fake news" and communication issues now often cast in the spotlight, the incoming Minister of Communications and Information (MCI) S Iswaran will have his work cut out for him.
But in his first remarks to the media since his appointment was announced on Tuesday, Mr Iswaran - the current Minister of Trade and Industry (Industry) - said that he is "looking forward to the challenge".
With the latest Cabinet reshuffle, he will be appointed Minister for Communications and Information (MCI) from May 1, taking over from Yaacob Ibrahim, who is retiring.
Mr Iswaran will continue in the Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI) but be redesignated as Minister-in-charge of Trade Relations.
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On his move to the MCI, Mr Iswaran said: "It's a challenge in terms of the scope of work that it entails because you do have the telecommunications, information technology and media sectors that are very fast changing because of convergence.
"And at the same time, the information space is a very important one for effective communication between the government and the general population, but also other channels of communication - and it's been in the spotlight of late for a variety of reasons."
He was speaking to the media on the sidelines of the biennial Germany-Singapore Business Forum (GSBF) 2018 held at the Hannover Messe, the world's largest industrial tech trade fair.
Mr Iswaran said that his stint in MTI has been both a "very rewarding and interesting" one, working on issues such as enterprise development, tourism growth, research and development, and the energy market development.
He said: "I think in terms of my new responsibility in trade relations, that's an important area for us in Singapore, especially against a backdrop of the current global environment. We want to make sure Singapore's interests are protected even as we try and create new opportunities for our people and for our businesses."
He added that he is looking forward to working with Chan Chun Sing to see how they can take Singapore's trade relations further.
Mr Chan, currently the labour chief, will be the new Minister for Trade and Industry.
Mr Iswaran has been the Minister for Trade and Industry (Industry) since 2015 when it was decided to have two ministers helming it.
Mr Iswaran was appointed as Minister of State for MTI in 2006, making this the ministry he has served in longest.
Previously, he has also served in various other ministries including the Ministry of Home Affairs and the Ministry of Education. |
Two-vehicle collision near St Bernard’s Avenue junction | A motorcyclist was taken to hospital after a collision in Louth late yesterday evening (Tuesday).
The incident took place near the junction between St Bernard’s Avenue, Eastgate/Eastfield Road, and Riverhead Road shortly after 10pm.
It involved two vehicles, one of which is reported to have been a motorcycle.
The rider was taken to hospital with ‘injuries that are not life changing or life threatening’, according to Lincolnshire Police.
If you witnessed the incident, contact police on 101 and quote incident number 433 of July 3. |
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Police make arrest in fatal Kansas hit and run accident | SEDGWICK COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities are investigating a fatal hit and run accident and have made an arrest.
Just before 9:30 p.m. Monday, first police responded to report of an injury accident in the 5200 Block of East Kellogg in Wichita, according to officer Charley Davidson.
Investigators determined that an eastbound BMW 3-series struck a 22-year-old man in the roadway. The victim, a known homeless man in that area, died of his injuries, according to Davidson.
The driver of the BMW fled the scene. At 2:30 a.m. Tuesday a 20-year-old man contacted offices at the Wichita Patrol East substation, according to Davidson. Officers determined he was involved in the fatal accident and was booked him on requested charges of felony hit and run and driving with a revoked license, according to Davidson.
Police have not located the BMW with front end damage involved in the crash. Anyone with information on the incident or who sees the car is asked to contact Wichita Police. |
Orlando Magic hire Steve Clifford as head coach | The Hornets went to the playoffs twice in Clifford's five seasons, never winning a playoff series.
"The NBA isn't about winning — the NBA is about winning in the playoffs," Clifford said at the end of Charlotte's season.
Clifford is coming to a franchise that has lost more games than any other NBA club over the past six years — 335. That's four more than Philadelphia, a franchise that was openly tanking for years before turning things around this season.
The Magic weren't tanking. They've just been bad.
Orlando hasn't had longer than a five-game winning streak at any time over the last six seasons. But over that same span, the Magic have had 23 losing streaks of at least five games. On their way to a 25-57 record that left them 18 games out of a playoff spot, the Magic had two seven-game slides and two other nine-game skids.
Since Van Gundy left, the Magic have gone through a series of resets.
There have been 62 players in uniform over the last six seasons — none of them an All-Star while in Orlando — and now five different coaches. Van Gundy was replaced by Jacque Vaughn, who was let go after 2 1/2 seasons and replaced on an interim basis by James Borrego. Scott Skiles then took over for one year, and Vogel ran things the last two seasons.
Clifford now gets his chance.
By Tim Reynolds, The Associated Press |
Apple, Google, Coca Cola: Check out the most valuable brands of the world | is the world’s most valuable brand, according to the latest Interbrand ranking. Information technology is the most valuable sector in this year’s ranking. Fourteen brands are valued in excess of $600 billion. A look at the world’s and their worth:
Measured across three components, the ranking looks at the impact of brands on business growth. A brand value of $178 billion sees top the ranking. With at the helm, Facebook managed to grow 48% over the previous year: |
Storm damage in Russellville - WAFF-TV: News, Weather and Sports for Huntsville, AL | Russellville was hit with a confirmed tornado during Monday's storms.
Reports of damage are coming in, including the Waffle House and near Central Alabama Credit Union on U.S. 43. The fire department reports damage at Road Gear too.
[FIRST ALERT Weather Day Monday, severe storms possible]
Power is out along the highway.
Firefighters say Lawrence Street trees went down across road just east of U.S. 43 and on Washington Avenue south of Highway 24.
No injuries are reported.
[First Alert Weather Day: Severe Weather Central]
[MAP: Public storm shelters in the TN Valley]
Photo of damage in Russellville from view Lukas Dodd #WAFF48 >> https://t.co/S4zv02diik pic.twitter.com/7mdxEHEMUJ — WAFF 48 (@waff48) March 19, 2018
Copyright 2018 WAFF. All rights reserved.
Report an Error | Submit a Tip to WAFF 48 |
Nottingham Forest 'ruthless - and occasionally brilliant' as they brush sorry Barnsley aside | Get Daily updates directly to your inbox + Subscribe Thank you for subscribing! Could not subscribe, try again later Invalid Email
Aitor Karanka will have ended the evening offering an apology to an old friend, but this was not a night when his Nottingham Forest side disappointed anyone.
The Reds boss remains close friends with Barnsley boss Jose Morais, but there was to be no old pals act at the City Ground, as Forest notched up a comfortable win that will have improved the mood of the home fans – and left the Tykes with one foot in League One.
Karanka and Morais worked together at Real Madrid for three years, under Jose Mourinho, but Barnsley will have work to do if there is to be another reunion on the banks of the Trent next season, as they trail 21st placed Bolton by two points, with only two games remaining.
Although there may still be time for one favour between friends just yet, with Karanka’s Forest heading to play Bolton on the final day.
Ruthless – and occasionally brilliant – Forest saw a superb goal from Lee Tomlin and a fine strike from Ben Brereton, which was set-up by Tomlin, put them in charge during a first half they dominated.
While an injury time goal from sub Apostolos Vellios rounded things off nicely, on a night when a bad looking injury to Juan Fuentes provided the only negative.
Karanka fulfilled his pledge that he would take the opportunity to take a look at one or two Forest players, while still naming a strong side.
Four changes were made by the Reds, although the one made in central defence was enforced, with Michael Mancienne coming in to replace the injured Tobias Figueiredo, who has a hamstring problem.
(Image: Dan Westwell)
Otherwise, Fuentes was given his first chance to impress, as he was handed a debut at left-back, while Adlene Guedioura returned in midfield, amid a 4-3-3 that became more of a 4-1-4-1 when Forest were not in possession.
While Tomlin returned to the starting XI, having been unable to play against his parent club, Cardiff, on Saturday, with Ben Osborn, Jack Colback and Joe Lolley dropping to the bench.
It was Barnsley who had the first sight of goal, but it was a poor effort from George Moncur, who cleared the bar by some distance, from the edge of the box.
It was Jack Walton, in the Barnsley goal, who had to make the first meaningful save – and it was a good one.
Matty Cash turned brilliantly on the edge of the box to elude his marker, before striding forward a few yards into space and driving a low shot across the face of goal, which looked to be bound for the bottom corner until the keeper got down tip it around the post.
Walton was called into action again when Tomlin drove in a shot from the edge of the box, with the keeper getting his body behind the ball to make a comfortable save.
When Danny Fox slid in with a late, rugged challenge on Moncur, referee Robert Jones played the advantage, allowing Adam Hamill to lift a rising shot over the bar – but the match official did go back to book the Forest defender for his challenge.
(Image: Dan Westwell)
Fox did regain his composure to make a vital block two minutes later, when the ball broke for Brad Potts to have a pop from 20-yards.
At the other end, Brereton had a shot of his own charged down, after powering into the penalty area with great purpose.
The goal was coming, however, and, when it arrived, it was a lovely strike all round.
Cash controlled the ball superbly in the right hand channel, before cutting inside and driving across the face of the penalty area and squaring the ball to Tomlin, in space, 20 yards out. The on-loan Cardiff man had the time to pick his spot, bending a sublime finish beyond the reach of Walton and into the far corner of the net.
(Image: Dan Westwell)
Cash was far and away Forest’s most dangerous outlet, as he repeatedly tormented former Forest man Dani Pinillos and, when he delivered another cross from the right, Liam Bridcutt flicked the ball to Tomlin, who forced another stop from Walton with an overhead kick.
Oliver McBurnie managed to test the reactions of Stefanos Kapino in the Forest goal, but the Greek was equal to it, pushing away his low shot efficiently.
Following a clever flick from Ben Watson, it was Guedioura’s turn to attempt an overhead kick and Walton had to produce another acrobatic stop.
But the Barnsley keeper was helpless to deny Forest when Tomlin’s pass picked the lock of their defence and sent Brereton racing clear. He calmly rounded Walton before applying an equally composed finish to make it 2-0 in the 36th minute.
(Image: Dan Westwell)
While Barnsley looked rocked, Forest were rocking, with Cash seeing a low shot fly wide, Brereton having another effort charged down and Tomlin following up a delicious turn at the near post with a thunderous shot that did not clear the bar by much, as the home side looked to add a third before the break.
A fine first half for Forest was to end on a sour note as Fuentes threw himself into a brave, committed 50/50 challenge with Dimitri Cavare and picked up a nasty looking injury in the process, with the half coming to an end while the Spaniard received lengthy treatment on the pitch, before being carried off several minutes later.
It was no surprise when Osborn came on to replace the 28-year-old at the start of the second half.
Barnsley also made a change with Connor Mahoney coming on – and he was not too far away from making an instant impact, with a shot he curled wide.
(Image: Dan Westwell)
But Osborn was also close to conjuring up something special, after Adam Jackson had collected a booking for hacking down Brereton on the edge of the box.
A clever set piece routine saw Osborn flick-up the ball for himself, before letting fly with a dipping volley that cleared the bar by a tiny margin, after taking a deflection.
Guedioura was encouraged by the fans to have a pop from range and he duly did so, but cleared the angle of the far post and bar by a good few feet.
Liam Lindsay had a good chance to pull one back for Barnsley when he was allowed what was almost a free header eight yards out, but he planted it the wrong side of the post.
(Image: Dan Westwell)
Some fine build-up play involving every Forest midfielder and forward ended with Brereton unselfishly feeding Cash, who angled in a powerful shot that rattled the outside of the post.
Forest were playing some lovely football at this point, with Brereton narrowly caught offside following another flowing move.
But Barnsley offered a reminder of their threat as Mahoney forced a fine reaction stop from Kapino with an instant shot, while former Forest man Gary Gardner also found himself denied by the former Olympiacos keeper.
There was one more twist to come, however, as two Forest substitutes combined to net a third goal for the home side.
Lolley danced through more than one challenge with a pacy, driving run into the box, before attempting to lift a shot over Walton.
But, while the keeper got a good hand to his effort, the rebound fell perfectly for Vellios, who was in no mood to waste his chance, guiding the ball into the back of the net to provide a positive finale to an encouraging evening for the Reds.
Forest: Kapino, Lichaj, Mancienne, Fox, Fuentes (Osborn 45), Watson, Guedioura, Bridcutt, Cash, Brereton (Vellios 80), Tomlin (Lolley 80). Subs: Smith, Colback, Hobbs, Darikwa.
Barnsley: Walton, Lindsay, Hammill, Moncur (Mahoney 45), Cavare, McBurnie, Jackson, Moore, Potts, Gardner, Pinillos. Subs: Davies, McCarthy, Bradshaw, Mallan, Pinnock, Thiam.
Referee: Robert Jones
Attendance: 23,633 (1,845 away) |
Mexico says device containing radioactivity stolen | MEXICO CITY — Mexican authorities say a measuring device containing radioactive material has been stolen in north-central Mexico.
The Interior Department says the gauge — apparently of a type commonly used in road construction — was taken on Monay from a roadside in the state of Queretaro.
The department said Tuesday that the equipment poses a low level of risk, but urged the public to report it if they find it. |
Atuche, other bank ex-chiefs rearraigned | The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission on Tuesday re-arraigned a former Managing Director of Bank PHB, Francis Atuche, before a Federal High Court in Lagos.
Atuche was charged alongside Charles Ojo, a former Managing Director of Spring Bank, on an amended 45-count charge of N125 billion fraud.
The accused pleaded not guilty before Justice A.O Faji, who allowed them to continue on their earlier bail conditions.
The accused were initially arraigned in 2009 before Justice Akinjide Ajakaiye, who granted them bail in the sum of N50 million each with two sureties each in like sum.
They were later re-arraigned before Justice Binta Murtala-Nyako on February 3, 2012, and later re-arraigned before Justice Rita Ofili-Ajumogobia on January 16, 2013, following the transfer of Mrs. Murtala-Nyako.
Both judges had adopted the bail terms granted by Mr. Ajakaiye.
The EFCC had on February 20 re-arraigned the accused before Saliu Saidu, following a re-assignment of the case.
In the charge, the EFCC accused the former bank chiefs of granting credit facilities, manipulating shares and committing general banking fraud to the tune of N125 billion.
The alleged offences contravene the provisions of Section 7(2) (b) of the Advanced Fee Fraud Act, 2004, and Section 15(1) of the Failed Banks (Recovery of debts) and Financial Malpractices in Banks Act, 2004.
They also contravene the provisions of Section 516 of the Criminal Code, Laws of the Federation, 2004, as well as Section 14 (1) of the Money Laundering Prohibition Act, 2004.
The re-arraignment resulted from the transfer of Justice Saliu Saidu, who was handling the case.
Faji adjourned the case to February 22 for trial. |
Barack Obama Texted Kevin Durant After Finals Win, Praised His Defense | Share this:
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Winning your first NBA Finals must be pretty amazing on its own, but winning your first NBA Finals and getting congratulated by a former president must be even better.
It was for Kevin Durant, at least.
Durant helped lead the Golden State Warriors to their second title in three years with a win over the Cleveland Cavaliers and earned Finals MVP honors for his effort. He received plenty of texts and congratulations after the win, but he told The Ringer’s Bill Simmons on Wednesday the most surprising came from the 44th President of the United States.
“(Barack) Obama,” Durant said. “Well, he sent a text through somebody to get to me.”
Naturally, Simmons wanted to know exactly what Obama said to Durant in his message.
“Congrats,” Durant said. “Your defense was really good, which was random … and he told me to enjoy it, have some fun, typical stuff. I wasn’t expecting that.”
Durant went on to say that he didn’t hear from Rihanna, so it appears their beef still is ongoing. You win some, you lose some, we guess.
Thumbnail photo via Cary Edmondson/USA TODAY Sports Images |